• Sean Nardi, Matthew McGrath, Daniel Wido, Lauren Murray, Brendan Byrne, and Gerald Delk.
• U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, FL 33621-5101, USA.
• Mil Med. 2022 Dec 5; 187 (9): e1544e1548e1544-e1548.

BackgroundAn outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occured within a land based 2,000-member cohort stationed on a remote air base in the Middle East from June to August 2020. We retrospectively reviewed base characteristics and mitigation measures instituted during the outbreak. We also reviewed documentation on the individuals that were either quarantined or placed in isolation and provide data on demographics, real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) results, occupation, and workdays lost.ResultsDuring the reporting period, 46 individuals or 3.84% of the population had a positive COVID-19 rRT-PCR test. Aviation personnel represented 50% of the COVID-19 positive tests. Sixteen percent of health care personnel were tested positive. Overall, 10% of personnel were placed in isolation or quarantine, resulting in the loss of 1,552 workdays.ConclusionsThe data show a disproportionate impact on healthcare workers and personnel involved in aviation operations. The purpose of this study is 2-fold: to describe the characteristics of the outbreak and to highlight the effectiveness of mitigation measures implemented to control it during military operations. This study may serve to inform medical professionals and military leaders in the management of a similar outbreak in a congregate living setting.Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2021. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

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