The governor of Guam says the island will take in US sailors from the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt, after the ship’s captain warned that urgent action was needed to stop the virus from spreading to all 4,000 crew members.
Hundreds of uninfected US Navy sailors will be hosted in unnamed local hotels for 14 days and are strictly prohibited from interacting with local residents.
“We have an interest in protecting our community and stopping the spread of Covid-19 just as much as the military has an obligation to return the USS Roosevelt to the open ocean to protect Guam and the region,†Gov Lou Leon Guerrero said on Wednesday.
It comes after the ship’s captain warned military officials: “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die.”
So far, the US territory has suffered the worst outbreak in the Pacific, according to Radio New Zealand.
Source: bbc.com