1500 CASES IN THE FRENCH ARMY
The Ministry of the Armed Forces has 1,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus among its personnel, according to figures provided by the central director of the army health service (SSA).
On April 21, the SSA listed “fifteen soldiers in intensive care out of these 1,500 tested positive for covid-19”. Among these cases, 1,081 are sailors of the carrier strike group to which the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulles belongs.
Also interviewed Wednesday by the Defense Commission, the Chief of the Defense Staff, General François Lecointre, reported “a few cases of soldiers contaminated by Covid-19 at Barkhane”. The French general staff had already announced on April 2 that four French officers of this anti-jihadist operation in the Sahel, which mobilizes 5,100 French soldiers, had been tested positive.
The “few cases” identified among the forces deployed in the Sahel “however have no impact on operations,” said the chief of staff before the commission. “The mission reliefs have been completed, and all the soldiers are now in the fortnight.”
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