Navy: 21 aboard Iwo Jima diagnosed with swine flu

NORFOLK

The Navy has confirmed that 21 sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima have been diagnosed with swine flu.

The shipmates' sicknesses were preceded by those of three other service members, who were diagnosed with flu-like symptoms May 27, the day before the ship left New York after visiting the city for Fleet Week.

The three were from other units but were temporarily attached to the ship. They were never officially confirmed to have swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, said Cmdr. Cappy Surette, a Navy spokesman. They were treated at the Veterans Affairs hospital in New York and have since returned to their home units.

The 21 sailors and Marines aboard the ship were diagnosed with swine flu while on board. They have received treatment and returned to work, Surette said.

"We're going to keep a watchful eye on this, but we're glad to see the cases were mild," he said. "There was no operational impact on the mission."

Several other people on the ship have developed flu-like symptoms, Surette said. They have been isolated in the ship's medical ward as the ship makes its way back to Norfolk, where it is expected later this week. If the people are not better by that time, they will remain on the ship until they recover.

The Navy has had 147 confirmed cases of H1N1 since the flu variant was recognized, Surette said. Of those, 137 of the victims are back at work. The Iwo Jima cases are the first reported on a Norfolk-based ship.

Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com