Coronavirus hits ROK armed forces
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) confirmed today via social media that 13 members of its armed forces have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Some 350 people have been quarantined who are believed to have been in contact with those infected. In a tweet, the MND added that there are ‘7,500 preventative quarantine persons in accordance with the strengthened military standards’.
The Korea Herald earlier reported that eight COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the army with one each in the navy, air force and marine corps.
The MND also announced that, as of 24 February, ‘all field and school-based training has been controlled and replaced by garrison training. Units currently in field training have returned to their bases in the shortest possible time’.
There are concerns that COVID-19 could begin to spread in barracks, and the MND is advising military personnel to self-isolate if they begin experiencing symptoms.
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