COVID-19: US army in South Korea reports 2 more cases

ANKARA

The U.S. military mission in South Korea confirmed two more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

A statement by United States Forces in Korea (USFK) said the infected individuals are an American contractor and the wife of another contractor who works for the mission.

The two patients had come in direct contact with an individual who previously tested positive for COVID-19, said the statement.

"The first patient, a USFK contractor who is a U.S. citizen and works at Camp Humphreys, had been in quarantine at Camp Humphreys’ barracks designated for quarantine since April 1, and he has now been transferred to Camp Humphreys’ barracks designated for isolation," read the statement.

USFK’s Camp Humphrey is based 43 miles south of South Korea’s capital Seoul.

"The second patient, the spouse of a USFK contractor who works on Camp Humphreys, last visited the installation on March 29. She has been in quarantine at her off-base residence since 30 March, and currently remains in isolation there," the statement said.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, 24 people related to USFK have been infected so far.

The USFK statement said the American force "remains at a high level of readiness with only two active duty service members who’ve tested positive for COVID-19".

The U.S. has around 28,500 soldiers in South Korea since the Korean War in the 1950s.

South Korea coronavirus cases were up to 10,537 by Tuesday, with the death toll at 222. A total of 7,534 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

The U.S. is the worst-affected country in the world, with nearly 600,000 COVID-19 cases and almost 24,000 deaths.