Christmas COVID Outbreak Keeps Navy Ship At Guantanamo Bay Port

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY — An unspecified number of U.S. Navy sailors aboard the U.S.S. Milwaukee tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the battleship to remain in port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Navy officials said Christmas Eve in a news release.

"The crew is 100 percent immunized and all COVID-19 positive sailors are isolated on board and away from other crew members," the Navy said. "A portion of those infected have exhibited mild symptoms. The vaccine continues to demonstrate effectiveness against serious illness."

It has not yet been determined whether the sailors were sickened by the omicron COVID variant, according to the Navy.

All CDC guidelines, including contact tracing and testing protocols, were being followed, the Navy said.

"The ship is following an aggressive mitigation strategy in accordance with the Navy and CDC guidelines," the Navy said.

The USS Milwaukee departed Dec. 14 for a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

The Navy ship was scheduled for a port visit at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and remains there because of the coronavirus outbreak.