Subscribe
A social distancing reminder is displayed on the floor of a barracks at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on April 22, 2020.

A social distancing reminder is displayed on the floor of a barracks at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on April 22, 2020. (Kealii De Los Santos/U.S. Marine Corps)

Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See other free reports here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The commander of Camp Hansen has ordered the Okinawa Marine base closed “until further notice,” according to a mass email alert from Marine Corps Installations Pacific late Wednesday.

“By order of the Camp Hansen Commander, effective immediately, Camp Hansen will be CLOSED to all personnel attempting to enter until further notice, unless their quarters are aboard Camp Hansen,” said the message sent at 10:43 p.m.

All personnel aboard the installation “should go to their quarters until further notice,” it added.

No reason was given for the closure, which comes a day after nearby Marine Corps Air Station Futenma ordered personnel to shelter in place for four hours after “several” people there tested positive for the coronavirus.

The infected individuals and their close contacts were isolated, according to a Marine Corps statement issued Tuesday evening.

news@stripes.com

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now