There are 33 personnel in Defence ranks with coronavirus

An Australian Defence Department official posted to the US has become the latest Aussie personnel to test positive for COVID-19.

An Australian Defence Department official posted to Virginia in the United States has become the latest Aussie personnel to test positive for COVID-19.

According to the Defence Department, the public servant tested positive on April 16 after falling ill.

They were self isolating in a US residence but Defence declined to say if they were trying to track the source of the infection or what precautions were being put in place for those they worked with.

They also declined to comment on their condition or what assistance that was being provided.

“Due to privacy reasons, Defence cannot comment further,” a spokeswoman said yesterday.

Australian Defence Force personnel arrive at their Sydney hotel, prior to their mandatory quarantine after returning home from deployment to the Middle East. Picture: Defence

Defence now has 33 cases of infections in their ranks including eight in NSW, five in South Australia and four in Queensland.

More than 200 Australian Defence Force personnel have returned home to Australia from the Middle East coalition bases predominantly in Iraq and Afghanistan, as activities including training have been curtailed. Numerous military exercises with other nations have also been cancelled.

An Australian Defence Force member, home from deployment to the Middle East, is about to begin a 14 day quarantine as part of nationwide measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 Picture: ADF

All those returning are having to self isolate for 14 days as per strict Australian government requirements.

In the US COVID-19 is rife in the armed forces with more than 150 bases in 41 states now treating infected personnel, including at critical nuclear missile facilities.

Originally published as There are 33 personnel in Defence ranks with coronavirus