Authorities have begun moving sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt who have tested negative for coronavirus to hotel rooms in Guam, a US Navy commander said Friday.
The first group of 180 sailors were moved from the aircraft carrier into commercial lodging in Guam’s Tumon district Thursday night local time, Adm. John Menoni, the Navy’s commander for the Marianas joint region, said at a news conference.
Another 300 to 500 sailors will be moved in the next 12 to 24 hours, he said.
During the military transportation process, the sailors are maintaining proper social distancing.
A US defense official told CNN on Thursday that 114 sailors from the aircraft carrier have tested positive for coronavirus. They represent more than 10% of all cases across the US military.
They’re being moved just a day after the ship’s commander was relieved of duty for showing “poor judgment,” days after writing a memo warning Navy leadership that decisive action was needed to save the lives of the ship’s crew.
