A total of eight crew members on four Dutch naval vessels are infected with the coronavirus. According to the Ministry of Defence, contact investigations are being carried out on all ships and, where necessary, military personnel have been quarantined.
The ships concerned are HNLMS Rotterdam, HNLMS Johan de Witt, HNLMS Van Speijk and HNLMS Karel Doorman. The number of coronavirus infections in the Ministry of Defence has been limited so far. In the spring, a number of soldiers on mission to Lithuania were infected with the virus.
The Rotterdam (one infection) and Johan de Witt (two infections) are participating in NATO exercise Dynamic Mariner in the Mediterranean Sea. The crew members showed mild symptoms and returned to the Netherlands on a medical flight. The exercise ends this Thursday 8 October.
The other two naval vessels are in their home port of Den Helder. Four crew members tested positive with the virus on the Van Speijk and one crew member on the Karel Doorman. Here too, according to the Ministry of Defence, the people involved are suffering from mild symptoms.
The navy is taking measures to prevent further infections. Military personnel going on a mission or to sea will first be quarantined.
Source: ANP
