Characteristics of U.S. Army Beneficiary Cases of COVID-19 in Europe, 12 March 2020-17 April 2020

In 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 virus caused an unprecedented pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Army Public Health Command Europe monitored all cases of COVID-19 for Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries seen in Army Military Treatment Facilities. Cases entered into the Army Disease Reporting System internet (ARDSi) were evaluated for symptomatology as this was a younger and healthier cohort than typically reported on at the time. During the surveillance period, 7.1% of COVID-19 cases among MHS beneficiaries were hospitalized; these cases presented with symptoms such as congestion, sore throat, and disturbances in taste and smell. Interventions to stop the outbreak included aggressive case finding with robust testing, control of cases and contacts, and the extreme social distancing measures seen in other countries. The outbreak was successfully brought under control in one month. Cases remained sporadic and were due largely to importation from the U.S. until the end of August 2020.