USFK reports 17 new COVID-19 cases

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Eleven American service members and six individuals affiliated with the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the U.S. military has said.

The service members were either from Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, Camp Casey in Dongducheon, north of Seoul, or the Osan, Suwon, and Seongnam air bases, the USFK said.

The remaining individuals were two South Korean workers for the U.S. military and four family members -- either from Camp Humphreys and the Osan Air Base -- the command said, adding that all of them were confirmed between Sept. 19 and Tuesday.

"All individuals are currently in isolation at a facility designated for confirmed COVID-19 cases at USAG–Humphreys, Osan Air Base, Camp Casey, or a Korean medical facility," USFK said in a release uploaded on its website on Thursday.

"KDCA, local government public health and USFK health professionals are actively conducting contact tracing to determine whether anyone else may have been exposed to these individuals and to identify and ensure all known on-post and off-post facilities visited by the individuals are thoroughly cleaned," it added. KDCA stands for the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the USFK-affiliated population to 1,458.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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