U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) SOFA Member Confirmed with COVID-19

An active duty member assigned to Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) has tested positive for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

The active duty patient had been in Restriction of Movement (ROM) status upon his return from the United States on March 15, 2020.  Since March 11, 2020, United States Forces Japan has required personnel returning to Japan to be immediately restricted to quarters for 14 days, regardless of their health condition.

USFJ health professionals are conducting contact tracing to determine if the patient had interacted with other personnel. The patient is currently in isolation under direct medical care and supervision from U.S. military medical providers.

Actions required by units within USFJ during this elevated health protection status also include:

• Consideration of limiting or cancelling meetings, training events, formations, large social gatherings, etc
• Monitoring conditions in areas near U.S. bases and stations and coordination with local health officials.
• Encouraging strict hygiene measures, including frequent handwashing, wiping down common surface areas

    on a regular basis, etc.

• Consideration of additional health screening measures at points of entry to installations if necessary.

The overall risk to individual USFJ members in Japan remains moderate and the command encourages strict hygiene measures to reduce the risk of transmission. Anyone who believes they are ill should coordinate with their organizations in order to stay home and avoid exposing others to infection.

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control is available here:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/coronavirus-japan

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has additional information available here: 

https://jp.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/covid-19-information/