In late June, in close cooperation with Curaçao and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the
United States Air Force started providing support to U.S. Southern Command’s enhanced
counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean region with a deployment at the U.S. Forward
Operating Location (USFOL) on Curaçao. One of the 157 members of the deployment who
took the standard end-of-quarantine COVID-19 test administered by Curacao health authorities
has had a positive result, as the Government of Curacao has announced. The following action
was taken.
• At all times, the deployment of these personnel has prioritized the health and safety of
their own staff and the people of Curacao.
• For that reason, the USFOL and all deployers undertook comprehensive measures
carefully worked out with the Ministry of Health of Curacao to prevent any spread of the
coronavirus.
• These measures included testing before entry into Curacao, a minimum 14-day
quarantine with strict social distancing at all times, and a second test at the conclusion of
quarantine.
• All deployment members were tested before arrival on Curacao, and all test results
were negative. Upon arrival they undertook a minimum 14-day quarantine period.
• All deployment members were tested again at the end of the mandatory quarantine
period. Out of 157 tests administered, 156 were negative.
• For the one case where a test result was found to be positive, action was taken
immediately to isolate the member and to trace and isolate contacts.
• No member of the deployment has exhibited coronavirus symptoms.
• The USFOL and the U.S. Consulate General continue to work with the Government of
Curacao to minimize any risk of coronavirus among the general population.
2020 marks twenty years since the establishment of the U.S. Forward Operating Location on
Curaçao. The United States expresses its gratitude to the people and Government of
Curaçao for their support of this mission and our ongoing partnership in assisting international
efforts to combat global narcotics trafficking.
