BREMERTON — Before the USS Nimitz leaves Puget Sound, Navy leaders have ordered an ambitious task: test every sailor on board for the novel coronavirus.

Thousands on the Bremerton-based aircraft carrier, as well as all the sailors and aviators that make up the flotilla known as a strike group when it's deployed, are undergoing a swab sampling — around 8,000 in all.

"The Navy is committed to taking every measure possible to protect the health of our force and minimize Sailors' exposure to COVID-19," said Lt. Cmdr. Liza Dougherty, the warship's spokeswoman.

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The Pentagon wants to avoid a repeat of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which was sidelined in Guam due to an outbreak of the coronavirus on board the ship. This week, testing on the Roosevelt finally wrapped up, with 840 positive cases among almost 5,000 sailors tested. One sailor died from COVID-19 and four remain hospitalized.

It comes at a time when testing for coronavirus is still limited nationwide. Swab sampling kits were delivered through the Defense Logistics Agency to Nimitz and members of its Carrier Strike Group 11.

The USS Nimitz, whose crew averages about 24 in age, had already been quarantined April 1 in an effort to help keep sailors from contracting the virus. But, as a review of USS Theodore Roosevelt cases found, some 60 percent were asymptomatic, and Dougherty said the goal is to find those cases and isolate them in accordance with CDC guidelines, "while protecting the overall health of the crew."

Dougherty declined to say if any results have come back positive thus far but she did confirm they'll be isolated and "not be permitted to return to duty until fully cleared by medical personnel." She said any positive case numbers would be included in the Navy's fleetwide COVID-19 case results.

More:Nimitz at sea: Getting a new crew of sailors deployment ready

Despite media and Pentagon reports to the contrary, the Navy has been steadfast in reporting that there've been no COVID-19 cases on board the Nimitz.

Others among the Nimitz's strike group have been quarantining as well at different locations in three different states -- Washington, California and Hawaii -- for more than two weeks, Dougherty said. The strike group includes destroyers based at Naval Station Everett, cruisers based in San Diego and EA-18G Growler squadrons based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said at a press conference in mid-April that Navy ships and boats, including those of the 13 submarines that are based at Naval Base Kitsap, will be tested for novel coronavirus "prior to setting sail."

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Seagoing vessels have been especially susceptible to the COVID-19. The virus spread around the Diamond Princess cruise ship, quarantined off Japan in early February, to more than 700 cases and killed 13 people. More than 1,000 tested positive on France's aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle.

Navy officials announced Friday that another ship, the USS Kidd, a destroyer that is part of the Roosevelt's strike group but currently engaged in counternarcotics work off South America, also has at least 18 coronavirus cases on board.

There are growing calls for increased testing. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, signed a letter to President Donald Trump this week with house members calling for a national testing strategy. Kilmer cited statistics that around 130,000 to 160,000 people per day are tested and advocated that number to rise to a minimum of 500,000 tests per day in order to "better understand the infectiousness of the virus" and fully reopen the economy.

Reporter Josh Farley can be reached at josh.farley@kitsapsun.com. You can read about his travels aboard the Nimitz earlier this year here.