Royal Navy sailors on frigate HMS Richmond under 'medical supervision' after testing positive for coronavirus
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Former Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond has become the latest warship in the fleet to suffer an outbreak of the Covid-19.
The news of the infection was confirmed last night – although the navy has declined to say how many of Richmond’s 185-strong ship’s company have tested positive for the virus.
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Hide AdInfected personnel are now ashore and being treated by medics, while the remaining crew warship – now based in Devonport, Plymouth – are following the appropriate medical guidelines, which includes a period of self-isolation for some.
A Royal Navy spokesman told Plymouth Live: ‘We can confirm that a number of personnel from HMS Richmond have tested positive for Covid-19.
‘Those individuals are ashore and are under medical supervision.
‘The remaining crew are following appropriate guidelines while the Royal Navy continues to manage the situation.’
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Hide AdThe outbreak on Richmond is the latest to affect the navy as positive tests continue to surge among the population.
Portsmouth-based HMS Queen Elizabeth had to postpone her departure for several days this month after a small number of the 1,700 crew – ‘fewer than 10’ – tested positive for Covid-19.
Days earlier, the Royal Navy’s current flagship HMS Albion also recorded a number of positive Covid-19 cases among the crew less than a day after leaving Plymouth.
Sailors were transported ashore to be treated, while the amphibious assault ship was placed in quarantine at sea.
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Hide AdBoth HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Albion have now resumed their operations at sea.
Albion has headed off on three-month deployment to the Mediterranean and Black Sea while Queen Elizabeth is carrying out training with the F-35B stealth jet, as part of a carrier strike group, in the North Sea.
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