Navy To Evacuate Sailors From Virus-Stricken Carrier

The Washington Post reports:

The Navy plans to remove some 2,700 sailors from a coronavirus-inflicted aircraft carrier in Guam in coming days, senior Navy officials said Tuesday, after government officials on the island secured hotel rooms for many of them.

The move comes amid intense scrutiny, after a letter from the ship’s captain circulated in the media drew attention to the slow nature with which the service was responding. The commanding officer, Capt. Brett Crozier, wrote that “decisive action is required,” “sailors do not need to die” and that the Navy was “failing to properly to take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.”

Acting Navy secretary Thomas B. Modly told Pentagon reporters that the sailors are expected to all stay on Guam. As of Tuesday afternoon, 93 sailors had tested positive and 87 more were exhibiting symptoms associated with the virus.