Soldiers in Daegu areas banned from leaving bases, meeting visitors
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- The military has banned service personnel in the southeastern city of Daegu from leaving their bases, including for vacations, and meeting with visitors in the wake of a surge in new coronavirus cases in the region, the defense ministry said Thursday.
Of the 82 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, 48 were reported in the southeastern region, and the figure is feared to grow further as most of the Daegu patients were found to have attended the same church services that brought together around 1,000 people.
"We issued several precautionary measures for military units in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province areas yesterday night, effective immediately," ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing, adding that the ministry is reviewing whether to quarantine soldiers who have visited Daegu areas recently.
Currently, around 300 soldiers are in isolation, as they have either visited China, Hong Kong or Macao in the past 14 days or had contact with people who traveled to those places, according to the ministry.
The ministry also decided to hold the entrance ceremonies of the military academies in a scaled-back manner without inviting family members and acquaintances of their freshmen.
"No suspected or confirmed cases of the new coronavirus have been reported among service personnel. The ministry continues to seek diverse preventive steps to prevent the spread of the virus into barracks," Choi added.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
Ateez to drop new Japanese EP next week
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
Gov't to significantly increase international flights to meet travel demand
-
(2nd LD) BTS wins three Billboard Music Awards, marking 6th year to win an award
-
Crypto investor probed over allegedly visiting house of Terraform's CEO
-
S. Korea to send condolence delegation to UAE over death of president
-
(LEAD) Yoon, PPP lawmakers travel to Gwangju en masse to commemorate 1980 democracy uprising
-
(URGENT) N. Korea says fever symptoms reported among more than 18,000 people Thursday alone amid COVID-19 outbreak
-
(LEAD) Presidential secretary resigns amid controversy over remarks on homosexuality
-
(3rd LD) N. Korea reports 6 COVID-19 deaths amid 'explosive' spread of fever
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
(3rd LD) N. Korean missile or nuclear test very possible during Biden's Asia trip: Sullivan
-
(2nd LD) S. Korea, U.S. have 'plan B' ready in case of N.K. provocation during Biden's visit
-
Former President Moon scheduled to meet Biden in Seoul this weekend
-
Woman sentenced to 30 years in prison in nicotine-poisoning death of husband