Nine American service members and a dependent have tested positive for the new coronavirus in the latest in a series of infections reported at US military bases here, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.

Six of the infections were reported from Camp Casey in Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul; two from K-16 Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital; and one each from Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, and Camp Carroll in the southeastern county of Chilgok, according to the US military.

Six of the new patients were found to have contracted COVID-19 after coming into contact with individuals who recently tested positive, while three were confirmed to be infected after developing symptoms.

The other service member tested positive in a test required to return to the United States.

All 10 cases were reported between Saturday and Tuesday.

The new patients are currently in isolation at a facility designated for COVID-19 patients, and contact tracing is under way to determine if anyone else may have been exposed to the virus, USFK said.

The series of infections comes despite USFK having completed the vaccination of 80 percent of its affiliated community.

"We have had some breakthrough cases," USFK Commander Gen. Robert Abrams wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, urging its members to adhere to antivirus guidelines even if they are vaccinated.

The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the USFK-affiliated population to 953, most of whom tested positive upon their arrival here from the US

South Korea has also seen a spike in new cases in the past few days, with the daily figure soaring to an over two-month high of 794 on Wednesday. (Yonhap)