"If we do not act now, we will fail to take care of our most valuable asset - our sailors," says a four-page letter sent by Captain Brett Crozier to his superiors at the Pentagon Defense Headquarters and reproduced by US media.

The Theodore Roosevelt nuclear-armed giant ship is anchored on the US territory of Guam in the Pacific. On board there are over 4,000 men and women. Exactly how many infected by the new corona virus have not been made public, but according to the CNN news channel, there are at least 70.

No beds

"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating," Crozier writes.

He wants the sailors on board as soon as landed, quarantined and taken care of - so that the ship can be disinfected and maintain its readiness.

One problem, however, is that there are not enough beds in Guam to accommodate the crew, notes The New York Times. The Pentagon is reported to be negotiating with the authorities there to release hotel locations or other accommodations.

However, Guam, which has over 160,000 inhabitants, is also tamped with the coronavirus outbreak. So far, 58 infected and two deaths have been found there.