Navy: 'Small number' of COVID-19 cases among sailors on USS Gerald R. Ford

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) -- U.S. Navy officials say a "small number" of people aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Public Affairs Officer for Naval Air Force Atlantic, confirmed there were a small number of COVID-19 cases on board when the ship was in port.

However, the Department of Defense does not release the number of infected people in a unit, at a facility, or in a geographic area due to operational security.

Those people who tested positive were removed and placed in isolation at their residences.

Cragg said there was no impact to operations.

Contact tracing was also completed and sailors who were impacted were put under a mandatory restriction of movement for evaluation.

"USS Gerald R. Ford continues to follow all DOD and CDC mitigation guidance. The ship takes the crew's safety very seriously and are taking every precaution and following all established protocols to safeguard all crewmembers," Cragg said.

USS Gerald R. Ford is also enforcing physical distancing, minimizing group gatherings, wearing personal protective equipment and cleaning "extensively," Cragg said.

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