Covid outbreak on Navy flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth
July 16, 2021, 1:53 pm

Covid outbreak on Navy flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth

According to the BBC, an outbreak of Covid-19 has been confirmed on the Royal Navy's flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The BBC has been told there have been around 100 cases on the aircraft carrier, which is part way through a world tour.

Several other warships in the fleet accompanying it are also affected.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said all crew on the deployment had received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine and the outbreak was being managed.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is about a quarter of the way through a 28-week deployment leading the Carrier Strike Group (CSG).

It has now entered the Indian Ocean, and the Royal Navy says it is due to continue on its voyage to Japan later this year.

A spokeswoman said mitigation measured on board included masks, social distancing and a track and trace system.

"As part of routine testing, a small number of crew from the Carrier Strike Group have tested positive for Covid-19," she said.

"The Carrier Strike Group will continue to deliver their operational tasks and there are no effects on the deployment."

It is not the first Covid scare on board a Royal Navy ship.

Last year, the crew of HMS Northumberland was forced to return to shore and isolate over Christmas after "a number of suspected Covid cases" on board.

The world tour is HMS Queen Elizabeth's first operational deployment, and will cover 26,000 miles.

The £3bn warship departed from Portsmouth Naval Base in May.

The Queen and the prime minister both went onboard before it headed off for the Indo-Pacific region.

The ship began sea trials in 2017, having replaced HMS Illustrious which was scrapped in 2014.

It has eight RAF and 10 US Marine Corps F35B stealth fighter jets onboard and will be accompanied to Asia by six Royal Navy ships, a submarine, 14 naval helicopters and a company of Royal Marines.

levant

Source: BBC
Image source: PA Media-BBC

Peter R de Vries Dutch crime reporter dies after shooting Iranians protest severe water shortages

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”