Around fifty crew members aboard France's aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, have tested positive for the new coronavirus or COVID-19 and a few areas of the ship have been put under lockdown, the armed forces ministry stated on Friday.
A statement from the ministry stated that the sailors had been taken out bt air to a military hospital that is located in Toulon, southern France, which is the home port of the carrier.
50 crew members test positive for Coronavirus
A team equipped to carry out tests for coronavirus infection boarded the vessel on Wednesday just after the armed forces ministry had reported signs of COVID-19 symptoms among 40 crew members. "The results of 66 tests showed 50 cases of COVID-19 aboard the Charles de Gaulle. There is no deterioration of the sailors' medical condition at this stage," the ministry said, adding that the evacuation of three of those sailors occurred Thursday.
The aircraft carrier, which is equipped with its own intensive care facilities, has 1,760 personnel on board. The nuclear-powered carrier, which had most recently been taking part in exercises with northern European navies in the Baltic Sea, is continuing its journey to Toulon, where it is due to dock in the coming days.
"While awaiting the early return of the aircraft carrier in Toulon ... extra measures aimed at protecting the crew and containing the spread of the virus have been put in place," the ministry added, adding that all crew members must now wear face masks. Last week the captain of US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt was relieved of his command after the leak of a scathing letter he sent to superiors to call for stronger measures to curb a coronavirus outbreak on his vessel.
(With agency inputs)
