October 2, 2020

Symptom Characterization and Outcomes of Sailors in Isolation After a COVID-19 Outbreak on a US Aircraft Carrier

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

Keywords (Tags): clinical characteristics

• Among sailors who disembarked from the USS Theodore Roosevelt, 736 out of 4,085 (18%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, of whom 590 (80%) were symptomatic. Six sailors were hospitalized and one died. Loss of taste and smell were reported commonly. The authors note that in confined areas with young essential workers, COVID-19 symptoms may not be distinguishable from other respiratory infections, and that asymptomatic spread may limit the effectiveness of symptom-based screening in the absence of testing, masking, and social distancing.

Alvarado et al. (Oct 1, 2020). Symptom Characterization and Outcomes of Sailors in Isolation After a COVID-19 Outbreak on a US Aircraft Carrier. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.20981