Army soldier tests positive for virus

People stand in line to receive coronavirus tests at a makeshift clinic in front of Seoul Station on Wednesday. South Korea reported the most new coronavirus cases since mid-February the same day as sporadic cluster infections continued to pile up nationwide, raising concerns that the country may again grapple with another wave of the pandemic. (Yonhap)

An Army soldier has tested positive for the new coronavirus after a vacation, the defense ministry said Friday.

The soldier, based in Yanggu, some 175 kilometers northeast of Seoul, was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 while in quarantine upon returning from a vacation, according to the ministry. Some 40 people at the base who had contact with the soldier have all tested negative.

The latest case raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 671.

Nationwide, South Korea added 671 new cases Friday, bringing the total caseload to 108,269. (Yonhap)