Army quarantines 90 soldiers with coronavirus at Fort Bragg

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FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The U.S. Army has quarantined 90 soldiers and instructors who tested positive for the coronavirus during a survival course at Fort Bragg.

A total of 110 people participated in the course, which was cut short after a single soldier tested positive. Subsequent tests then showed that 82 students and 8 instructors had COVID-19, Army spokeswoman Janice Burton told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

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Now all 110 are quarantined, although the 20 people who did not test positive were separated from the rest, she said.

Their course, called Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, is naturally isolated from Fort Bragg's other special warfare courses, the Army said.

Guidelines were implemented at Fort Bragg to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and some classes were shifted online. Portions of classes that could not be taught online were closely monitored. Students taking the survival course were tested prior to training and received daily welfare checks.

“The health and wellness of our students and staff is our top priority,” said Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson. “We will do everything we can to protect our students and their families.”