COVID-19 Recovered Soldiers Test Positive Again

The Army began mine clearance operations on the 2nd in the search route area of the Demilitarized Zone near the 5th Division (Key Unit) in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, to excavate the remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War. Soldiers are conducting mine detection and removal operations. Photo by the Cheorwon Joint Press Corps.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] A recovered COVID-19 patient in the military has tested positive again.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 31st, as of 10 a.m. that day, one Navy soldier from Jeju who had recovered tested positive again, bringing the total number of re-positive cases in the military to three.

Previously, one officer from Yongin and one contract worker from the Air Force in Daegu also tested positive again after discharge and are currently receiving treatment. All three re-positive cases were detected through the military's own tests for preventive quarantine release.

Although one re-positive case was reported, one additional recovered patient was added, maintaining the total number of recovered COVID-19 patients in the military at 30. The cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the military is 39, with nine currently undergoing treatment.

The cumulative confirmed cases by branch are: Army 21 (17 recovered), Navy 1, Marine Corps 2 (2 recovered), Air Force 14 (11 recovered), and one in the Ministry of National Defense direct units.

According to health authorities, about 120 people are in quarantine, while the military's own preventive quarantine count is about 1,660.

The military has deployed a total of 2,923 personnel, including 450 medical staff and 2,473 support personnel, to the government's COVID-19 response efforts. As of the previous day, the cumulative number of support personnel reached 100,530.

At a regular briefing that day, Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo stated regarding soldiers who supported logistics centers of mask wholesalers such as Geo Young, "Support was provided only until the 22nd, and currently, there are no support personnel."

Regarding the possibility of defense budget cuts due to the second supplementary budget related to COVID-19, Spokesperson Choi said, "If there is a part where we can contribute at the national level, we will fully contribute," adding, "We need to observe inter-ministerial consultations."

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