Army reserve soldier in Seoul tests positive for new coronavirus

An Army reserve soldier who works at a community center in Seoul tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of virus patients among military members to 95, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

The private first class, who serves as a full-time reserve service member, appears to have been infected after dining with a confirmed civilian patient last Friday in violation of a no-movement order that the ministry issued for all service members out of virus concerns.

Officials said they will review whether to launch a probe after his recovery.

The solider commutes to the office from his home without having to live in military barracks.

"He tested positive yesterday, and three of his colleagues who came into contact with him also underwent virus tests and are awaiting results," the ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 1,055 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 3,809 people under stricter anti-virus schemes of its own as a preventive step.

The number of COVID-19 infections has been on the rise nationwide at an alarming rate since mid-August. On Wednesday, South Korea reported 320 more cases, mostly in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). (Yonhap)