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Health officials in Washington’s Whatcom County reported 25 new cases of covid-19 among the crews of two more American Seafood-operated factory trawlers after they arrived in Bellingham to offload June 3.

Test results were reported Thursday night for those crew members from the 285-foot American Triumph and the 336-foot Northern Jaeger, which typically carry crews of 130 and 135 respectively.

The news follows on a June 1 announcement that 86 crew members from the company’s American Dynasty testing positive for covid-19, after that 272-foot vessel with its crew of 126 had arrived at Bellingham.

“On the Northern Jaeger, one crew member reported feeling ill on-board last week and was transported to the hospital where they have tested negative for covid-19. The crew member is in the hospital recovering from their illness,” according to a statement issued by the company June 3 .

“We’re conducting these tests out of an abundance of caution,” said American Seafoods CEO Mikel Durham. “Protecting the health of our crew members and the communities where we operate is a top priority for us.”

The Whatcom County Health Department announced the 25 positively tested crewmembers from the American Triumph and Northern Jaeger entered isolation in Bellingham.

The American Dynasty docked at the Port of Seattle on the night of May 31 and all its crew entered quarantine, quartered in lodging acquired by King County health officials for covid-positive persons.

Before sailing for the Pacific whiting season in mid-May, American Seafood screened all the crew members and allowed only those who tested negative for coronavirus to board.

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Associate Editor Kirk Moore was a reporter for the Asbury Park Press for more than 30 years and a 25-year field editor for National Fisherman before joining our Commercial Marine editorial staff in 2015. He wrote several award-winning stories on marine, environmental, coastal and military issues that helped drive federal and state government policy changes. Moore was awarded the Online News Association 2011 Knight Award for Public Service for the “Barnegat Bay Under Stress,” 2010 series that led to the New Jersey state government’s restoration plan. He lives in West Creek, N.J.

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