▲ Service members leave a naval ship to receive COVID-19 vaccines on April 28, 2021, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

military-coronavirus

Five more Navy sailors from same vessel test positive for COVID-19

SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- Five Navy sailors tested positive for the new coronavirus while on the same naval ship, bringing the total caseload from the vessel to 38, the defense ministry said Friday.

Last month, the Navy reported 33 COVID-19 cases among members of the Gojunbong landing ship in the first mass infection on a military vessel.

Of 84 sailors aboard the ship, 51 tested negative and have been in isolation, but five of them were found to have contracted the virus in a test required to exit quarantine, the ministry said.

"We've been enforcing aggressive mitigation measures to protect our service members. As more cases were found, we will take additional necessary steps," a Navy official said.

The military also reported five more COVID-19 cases Friday -- four soldiers and a civilian worker for the Army -- across the nation.

The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 822.

Nationwide, South Korea reported 525 more COVID-19 cases, including 509 local infections, raising the total caseload to 126,044, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]