KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- Garrison leadership and U.S. Army officials in the Kaiserslautern Military Community are tracking that the city of Kaiserslautern confirmed its first case of the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus Feb. 27.
The patient is a German citizen with no affiliation to the U.S. military here. He was recently in Iran and it’s believed he may have contracted the virus while there.
USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Commander Col. Jason Edwards spoke with city administration officials and will continue to monitor developments.
“While this is not connected to the Kaiserslautern Military Community directly, we conducted planning to potentially see cases of our own,” said Edwards. “We are prepared to respond appropriately. The main thing right now continues to be education to help combat any fears or misperceptions.”
Force health protection is a top priority for the Department of Defense and USAG RP.
“People should be aware of what this flu-like virus is and how to help prevent any possible spread,” he added.
At this time, the probability of a garrison community member becoming infected with COVID-19 is low; however, the garrison team is prepared to assist its Soldiers, civilians and family members in the event of an infection or outbreak.
As recommended, garrison officials encourage regular hand washing, use of hand sanitizer and other outlined measures to remain healthy.
Visit the garrison website and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage for more information about COVID-19.
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Credits:
Created with images by CDC - "This illustration provided a 3D graphical representation of a number of Rotavirus virions, set against a black background. Note the organism’s characteristic, wheel-like appearance, which was made visible when viewed under the electron microscope. It’s this morphology that gives the Rotavirus its name, which is derived from the Latin rota, meaning "wheel". Rotaviruses are nonenveloped, double-shelled viruses, making them quite stable in the environment."