A gate of a US military base in Yongsan on Nov. 22, central Seoul. (Yonhap)
Ten American service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea over the past few weeks, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.
Four service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights earlier this month, while the six others arrived here on commercial flights via Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, between Nov. 26 and Tuesday, according to the USFK.
Eight of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and the remainder were confirmed to have contracted the virus on their second mandatory test.
All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus test and quarantine for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.
"Thorough cleaning of all transportation assets and quarantine rooms has been completed," USFK said, adding that none of the new arrivals have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community.
The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related coronavirus infections to 418. (Yonhap)