Pocheon Military Base 'Mass Infection'... "Expansion of Full Military Testing"
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[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As 13 soldiers were infected in a cluster at a military unit in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, the government has decided to extend the COVID-19 diagnostic testing for new recruits until September and expand the testing to include officers and non-commissioned officers.
Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a regular briefing held on the 22nd at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk, "Thirteen soldiers stationed at a military unit in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, have tested positive," confirming the situation.
According to the Ministry of National Defense and Pocheon City, two soldiers belonging to a unit under the 8th Division showed fever symptoms on the afternoon of the 20th and underwent PCR testing at a nearby hospital, testing positive the next day. Subsequently, 11 additional soldiers classified as close contacts were confirmed positive. Currently, a central military epidemiologist is investigating the source and transmission route of the infection.
To preemptively block the introduction of COVID-19 into the military, the government has decided to extend the COVID-19 diagnostic testing for new recruits until mid-September. The testing scope will also be expanded from trainees to include officers and non-commissioned officer candidates.
From the third week of May to the second week of July, a total of 46,835 new recruits were tested over eight weeks, with one testing positive and the rest confirmed negative.
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Head Jung stated, "It is highly significant that the introduction of infectious diseases by new recruits into the military has been fundamentally blocked, allowing soldiers to train safely and alleviating families' concerns." She also announced plans to conduct additional surveys on COVID-19 antibodies to investigate infection rates among young people by region.
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