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Sailors preparing for a month-long voyage on board the Navy's largest warship say they're worried about the threat of a coronavirus outbreak at sea.
Key points:
- The Defence Department says it is closely following health guidelines and the training is "essential"
- If any sailor tests positive for COVID-19 they will be isolated
- One officer said he feared the mission could turn into months at sea and that "Defence just make their own rules"
HMAS Adelaide is scheduled to depart Sydney's Garden Island Naval Base today for what Defence has described as "essential training".
The Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) is expected to arrive in Townsville at the end of April, but some on board fear any case of COVID-19 could rapidly spread among the ship's company, who live in close quarters.
One Naval officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was surprised the training mission was still going ahead.
"We're all worried that the three or four-week activity will turn into months; Defence just make their own rules", the officer told ABC.
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However, Defence insists it's closely following public health guidelines to minimise transmission of COVID-19 and all crew will be screened for symptoms before their departure.
"At sea, health threats including communicable diseases like COVID-19 are deliberately considered as part of force health protection," a Defence spokesperson told the ABC.
"Major Fleet Units deploy with a medical officer or an appropriately trained medical team who are capable of screening and providing care to any personnel with symptoms."
"Should any crew member show symptoms, isolation arrangements on board will be put into place in strict accordance with public health requirements," the spokesperson added.
The Defence Department has also confirmed "a range of Navy training exercises, deployments and activities have been suspended and future exercises are under review" but says "essential readiness activities continue".
A recent coronavirus outbreak on board a US Navy aircraft carrier has seen at least 38 sailors test positive.
All 5000 members of the USS Theodore Roosevelt's crew are now being screened for the disease as the ship docks in Guam.
Topics: infectious-diseases-other, respiratory-diseases, covid-19, australia
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