Six more US soldiers and two other American cilians in South Korea have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, it was confirmed on Thursday.
In a statement, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said that the eight USFK-affiliated individuals were infected with Covid-19 after arriving in South Korea between November 17 and December 1, reports Xinhua news agency.
The confirmed patients have been transferred to designated isolation facilities at the US Army Garrison Humphreys and the Osan Air Base, both of which are located in Pyeongtaek.
The total number of infections among the USFK-affiliated personnel rose to 391, according to Yonhap news agency.
“Despite the recent confirmed cases, USFK remains at a high level of readiness with less than 1 per cent of its active-duty service members currently confirmed positive with Covid-19,” the statement said.
South Korea has witnessed a resurgence of the virus since last month.
On Thursday, the country reported 540 new confirmed cases, raising the total number of infections to 35,703.
The daily caseload hovered above 500 for two straight days, growing in triple digits for 26 days running.
The country’s death toll has surged to 529.