Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

Five sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt tested positive for COVID-19 again, after they had tested negative and were considered to have recovered from the disease.

The incident underscores the many unknowns about the disease and potential flaws in testing.

The five sailors were among the more than 1,100 crewmembers of the ship who tested positive weeks ago for the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. They had "met rigorous recovery criteria" that "exceeds all [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines," Navy spokesman Cmdr. Myers Vasquez said, according to Stars & Stripes.

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Among that criteria is a requirement that sailors who have been confirmed to have COVID-19 test negative twice, before returning to duty. Prior to that, they must isolate for at least 14 days and show no symptoms for at least three days.

The sailors who retested positive had gone through that process and had returned to duty on board the ship. But they developed flu-like symptoms this week and reported to the ship's medical staff. They were immediately removed the ship, along with 18 other sailors they had close contact with.

It's not clear why some people who test negative for COVID-19 may then test positive again, or whether those cases are relapses or not. One U.S. official told the Associated Press that commanders on the ship believe the issue could be related to the accuracy of testing, which has repeatedly come under question.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt has been docked in Guam since March 27 as the outbreak spread among the crew, and sailors were taken off the ship to be treated or quarantined.

At least 88,211 people have died in the U.S. from COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.4 million nationwide are known to have been sickened by the disease. Worldwide, there have been more than 4.5 million confirmed infections, and more than 310,000 people have died.

Latest Developments

United States:

-Visitors to Disney Springs will be required to wear face coverings, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The shopping and entertainment complex adjacent to Walt Disney World will begin a phased reopening next week.

-Charges have been dropped against a Tampa pastor who held church services in violation of county-issued coronavirus restrictions, the Tampa Bay Times reported. A statement from the Hillsborough State Attorney said that while the arrest was an appropriate step, Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne “has maintained responsible social distancing on his church campus while engaging with community leaders in a dialogue about the best path forward for his congregation" since the charges were filed.

-The House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion relief bill on Friday, but the measure was met with resistance by members from both parties and will face opposition in the Senate, according to the Washington Post.

-Holiday World, an amusement park in Santa Claus, Indiana, will reopen June 17 at 50% capacity. An adjacent water park will open July 3. Larger attractions nationwide, including Disney parks, have yet to announce reopening dates.

-An airport in Everett, Washington, is suspending passengers for 10 weeks in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. With significantly decreased traffic, the airport will use the time for maintenance and construction projects, the AP reported.

-NASCAR returns to the track Sunday at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, minus spectators in the stands. It's the first major U.S. sport to resume competitions.

Worldwide:

-Researchers in the United Kingdom are studying whether dogs can detect coronavirus in humans, the BBC reported. The dogs are already trained to sniff out the odors of malaria, Parkinson's disease and some cancers.

-Italy is lifting travel restrictions to and from the country beginning June 3, and people will also be free to move around the country again.

-Mexico had its highest day-to-day increase in COVID-19 cases Friday, with an additional 2,437 infections confirmed, according to CNN. The country has reported more than 45,000 cases and more than 4,700 deaths.

-Spain reported its lowest daily increase since mid-March, as the rate of infection there continues to slow. Spain remains one of the hardest hit countries in the world with least 27,563 deaths and more than 230,000 known cases, the fourth highest in the world behind the U.S., Russia and the United Kingdom.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.