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NEWS | July 3, 2020

Five USFK Affiliated Personnel Confirmed with COVID-19

By USFK Public Affairs

Five USFK affiliated individuals, including one newly assigned and one returning service member, tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in South Korea.

Two service member dependents arrived at Incheon International Airport from Europe on June 21, and were transported to Camp Humphreys where they tested negative on their first mandatory COVID-19 test and entered quarantine. Both tested positive for the virus on their second test required to exit quarantine.

The third individual, a newly assigned service member, arrived at Osan Air Base on July 1 on a U.S. government chartered flight from Japan. He was in mandatory quarantine at Camp Humphreys quarantine barracks following his transfer there while awaiting for the results of his COVID-19 test to return. He received a positive result on his first mandatory COVID-19 test.

The fourth individual, a USFK contractor, arrived at IIA from the United States on July 2, and was transported to Camp Humphreys where he received a positive result on his first mandatory COVID-19 test.

The fifth individual, a service member who was returning to USFK, arrived at IIA on July 3 and was tested there after displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

Since testing positive, all five individuals have been moved to Camp Humphreys’ isolation barracks designated for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

USFK health professionals determined there was limited contact tracing due to the service members and all others on the commercial and chartered flight being tested and immediately quarantined; thorough cleaning of Camp Humphreys’ quarantine rooms has been completed.

As a testament to USFK’s aggressive preventative control measures to stop the virus’ spread, any USFK-affiliated individual arriving in South Korea from overseas will be tested for COVID-19 and then quarantined for 14 days. Medical personnel will administer a second test prior to being released from isolation.

USFK will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Despite the confirmed cases, USFK remains at a high level of readiness with only nine active duty service members who are currently confirmed positive for COVID-19.

USFK continues to maintain a robust combined defense posture to protect the Republic of Korea against any threat or adversary while maintaining prudent preventive measures to protect the force.

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