Korean USFK employee tests positive for COVID-19
Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19. Reuters-Yonhap
A South Korean working at an American military base in central Seoul has tested positive for the new coronavirus, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday.
The worker at the Yongsan Garrison was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on May 12 during a test required to exit quarantine. He has been in isolation since late last month after coming into close contact with an individual who later tested positive for the virus, according to the U.S. military.
“The individual is currently in isolation at a Korean medical facility designated for confirmed COVID-19 cases. USFK health professionals determined contact tracing was limited due to this individual being in quarantine,” USFK said in a release.
The latest case raised the total number of infections reported among the USFK-affiliated population to 866, most of whom tested positive upon their arrival here from the United States.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military began the vaccination campaign for adolescents on Wednesday.
Since March, USFK has been conducting its inoculation program, and around 70 percent of its population have received shots so far.
According to its Facebook post, Michael Hudak, a 16-year-old high school student, received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Camp Humphreys vaccination center earlier in the day, becoming the first person to receive the vaccine among USFK members of his age group.
“He is looking forward to going back to the normal life of going to school and hanging out with his friends without masks and wants to encourage his friends to get vaccinated, too,” the post read. (Yonhap)