[Summary] Additional COVID-19 Cases Among USFK... Total 6 Confirmed

Military personnel are conducting temperature checks on drivers entering and exiting Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Photo by U.S. Forces Korea Command. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] Additional cases of COVID-19 infection have occurred among the US Forces Korea (USFK). This is the sixth case.

On the 5th, the USFK Command announced in a press release that "two family members of USFK stationed in Daegu tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the fifth and sixth confirmed cases among USFK personnel."

The fifth confirmed case is a family member of a USFK soldier who had been in self-quarantine since the 26th of last month. Since there was no contact with other USFK personnel during self-quarantine, an epidemiological investigation was deemed unnecessary. The confirmed patient is currently isolated under the supervision and treatment of a US military hospital.

The sixth confirmed case is also a family member of a Department of Defense civilian employee who had been in self-quarantine since the 28th of last month. It was confirmed that, during self-quarantine, the individual did not meet with any USFK personnel other than their spouse. As a preventive measure, USFK plans to place the spouse of the sixth confirmed case in self-quarantine at their residence.

As of the 5th, the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases related to USFK has increased to six. The wife (61) of a retired USFK soldier who visited the PX at Camp Walker in Daegu was confirmed positive on the 24th of last month. Subsequently, on the 26th, a soldier stationed at Camp Carroll in Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk, tested positive. On the 28th, a Korean employee working at Camp Carroll was confirmed, and on the 29th, the spouse of the soldier confirmed on the 26th also tested positive.

On the 19th of last month, USFK raised the risk level from 'Low' to 'Moderate' due to the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions. On the 25th, the risk level was further elevated to 'High' across the entire Korean Peninsula and remains at that level.

USFK Commander Robert Abrams personally visited the bases with confirmed COVID-19 cases on the 2nd to inspect the situation. According to Voice of America, Commander Abrams visited Camp Henry and Camp Walker in Daegu, as well as Camp Carroll in Waegwan-eup, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk, meeting with personnel at command posts, on-base schools, and hospitals, stating, "It is important to protect USFK forces from the coronavirus," and expressing confidence in the COVID-19 response measures taken by each unit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.