Military reports 5 new COVID-19 cases

Four service members and a civilian worker for the military have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of infections across the nation, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

One Marine in the city of Hwaseong, south of Seoul, and one soldier in the county of Hongcheon, east of Seoul, were confirmed to have been infected following their recent vacations, according to the ministry.

One Army officer in the central city of Icheon contracted the virus after coming into close contact with one of his colleagues who earlier tested positive, and the civilian worker in the southeastern city of Daegu was confirmed following the infection of one of his family members.

The last case is an Army enlistee, who tested positive in a second mandatory COVID-19 test after being drafted, it added.

The new virus cases brought the total number of infections among the military population to 706. Of the total, 674 have been fully cured and 32 are under treatment.

Nationwide, South Korea reported 731 more COVID-19 cases, including 692 local infections, raising the total caseload to 115,926, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. (Yonhap)