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U.S. service members depart a Patriot Express at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.

U.S. service members depart a Patriot Express at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. (Matthew Keeler/Stars and Stripes)

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U.S. Forces Korea announced Thursday that another 10 individuals had tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving in South Korea between Oct. 23 and Tuesday.

A USFK news release described the new patients as five service members and five dependents who arrived on separate military and commercial flights. The new cases bring the command’s coronavirus pandemic total to 288 infections, of which 214 are active duty.

One service member and one dependent arrived at Osan Air Base on government-chartered flights Oct. 28 and Tuesday, according to USFK.

The command said four service members and four dependents arrived on commercial flights at Incheon International Airport on Oct. 23 and 26, and on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Five individuals tested positive on arrival and prior to entering the 14-day mandated quarantine period; five tested positive prior to exiting quarantine, according to the release. All 10 are in isolation at either Osan or the Army’s main base at Camp Humphreys.

“None of the new arrivals have interacted with anyone residing within USFK installations or the local community,” the release said. USFK also said tracers found the 10 had contact only with other passengers, who were also tested, and medical staff upon their arrival.

Anyone affiliated with the U.S. military who arrives in either South Korea or Japan from abroad must be tested for the coronavirus, stay quarantined a minimum 14 days and test free of the virus before leaving isolation.

USFK said less than 1% of its active-duty service members are infected with the coronavirus.

news@stripes.com

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