Unceasing COVID-19 Cases Among Military Personnel

Special Forces soldiers deployed to support COVID-19 quarantine operations are guiding citizens at the screening clinic of Yongsan-gu Public Health Center in Seoul on the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist]Three additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been reported at an army unit in Sejong.

On the 16th, the Ministry of National Defense stated that these soldiers were classified as contacts of confirmed cases within the unit and had been quarantined. They tested positive in diagnostic tests conducted before the end of their quarantine.

Since the first confirmed case occurred on the 1st, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in this unit has reached 12. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the military has increased to 625. Among them, 589 have recovered, and 36 are currently receiving treatment. According to health authorities, 817 individuals are in quarantine, and based on the military's own standards, 27,235 personnel are quarantined preventively.

Meanwhile, one U.S. Forces Korea soldier stationed at Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, also tested positive for COVID-19. The confirmed case was identified on the 14th through a screening test conducted as part of an enhanced COVID-19 testing program and was transferred to a dedicated isolation facility within the base.

U.S. Forces Korea is conducting an epidemiological investigation in cooperation with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and is implementing disinfection measures at facilities inside and outside the base visited by the confirmed case. This brings the total cumulative number of confirmed cases related to U.S. Forces Korea to 793.

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