Armed forces across Europe have reduced their operations and imposed stricter regulations on their personnel in an effort to prevent the spread of the Corona virus between them, as they live and work contiguously, making them more vulnerable to infection.
It is important to prevent the spread of the virus in armies, whether due to the security of their home countries or because special units in the land, sea and air forces have been called in to help governments tackle the virus in many countries.
For example, Germany has deployed 15,000 soldiers to help local authorities overcome the crisis, while Poland has called in thousands of soldiers to patrol the streets that are closed and to sterilize hospitals and reinforce border guards.
The developments on the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt highlighted the risk of the disease spreading rapidly among soldiers.
The nuclear powered aircraft carrier with 5,000 personnel docked on Guam Island to check all on board.
The US Navy exempted the aircraft carrier commander from office after he wrote a letter indicating fears of a lack of adequate measures to contain the highly contagious disease.
The United States announced earlier that it had decided to send thousands of soldiers to various states of the country to help prevent the outbreak of the Corona epidemic.
Cancel and suspend
In France, Italy and Spain, which are among the countries worst affected by the pandemic, military operations have been reduced or sometimes suspended.
The French General Staff announced the evacuation of three of the four soldiers who were carrying out missions within the "Barkhan" operation in the African Sahel region, after they had been infected with Corona.
Earlier, French Defense Minister Florence Barley revealed that the Corona virus has infected 600 soldiers in the French army.
"We are closely following the health status of the military personnel who are infected with the virus," the minister said, adding that "the infection of the military personnel with the virus will not affect the conduct of army operations."
But the French army was forced to back down on this pledge, as spokesman for his leadership, Frederick Barbie, said, "We had to cancel unnecessary naval operations and deployments or to adjust their scope."
Barbary explained that the French warships in the Strait of Hormuz no longer stop in the ports of the region except Abu Dhabi, and that the air operations were affected.
The virus strikes the command
The Italian Ministry of Defense provides information only on officers ’injuries. She said that the chief of staff, Salvatore Friina, and 12 others were ill, while a lieutenant colonel died.
On Sunday, Turkey said it had limited its troop movements in Syria as cases of Corona virus infection jumped.
Last Friday, the Swedish army announced the postponement of a month-long international military training of around 25,000 people due to the outbreak of the emerging corona virus (Covid-19).
The “Urwa 20” training was scheduled to start on May 11 and continue until the next June 4. ”But the army said that the training would not take place this year, without setting another date.