TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Navy commands on Wednesday announced that a sailor assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48 from Naval Station Mayport has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Navy announced the sailor is currently isolated at the person’s off-base residence and restricted in movement in accordance with the CDC guidelines. Military health professionals are conducting a thorough contact investigation to determine whether any other personnel may have been in close contact and possibly exposed. The Navy said there is no indication the sailor had contact with any other members of the squadron but, depending on the results of that investigation, additional precautionary measures may be taken.
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According to the Navy Times, the test results came back three days after the sailor took the test for COVID-19.
The Navy said at least 18 sailors and others at Naval Air Station-Jacksonville are in self-isolation awaiting tests to see whether they have the virus, which has infected more than 320 people in Florida and killed at least seven.
Base spokeswoman Kaylee Larocque said there have been no positive tests so far. She couldn’t say what led the personnel to be isolated from the 21,000 sailors and others who work at the base.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that he wanted to ramp up testing. Only about 3,700 Floridians have been tested so far as efforts to expand testing capability are pushed so state officials can get a more accurate picture of the disease’s spread.
RELATED: Florida’s coronavirus cases include 14 Jacksonville patients
Combined, more than half of the confirmed cases are in neighboring counties, Miami-Dade and Broward.