- Title: South Korea's defence minister apologises over massive coronavirus outbreak
- Date: 20th July 2021
- Summary: SEJONG, SOUTH KOREA (FILE) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SEJONG GOVERNMENT COMPLEX SIGN READING (Korean/English): "GOVERNMENT COMPLEX SEJONG"
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2021 05:05
- Keywords: COVID-19 Cheonghae Unit Defence Ministry Health Ministry South Korea coronavirus massive outbreak navy ship
- Location: SEOUL, SEJONG, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SEJONG, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA004EMN80NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO 1062-HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/SOUTHKOREA SENT ON JULY 19 FOR FILE MATERIAL OF CHEONGHAE UNIT
South Korea's Defence Minister Suh Wook on Tuesday (July 20) apologised for a massive coronavirus outbreak on board a navy destroyer patrolling the sea off Africa on an anti-piracy mission which led to more than 80% of personnel on board testing positive for the virus.
In a televised statement, Suh said the ministry will amend preventive epidemic measures.
There are 12 cases of serious illness, which will be treated in hospital, while the other 289 infected soldiers will be isolated at residential treatment centres once they arrive, a health ministry official said.
The country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday (July 19) that just 50 of the ship's complement of 301 Cheonghae Unit personnel tested negative in an outbreak first reported on July 15. Authorities have begun an operation to airlift them, while a replacement team will steer the vessel back home.
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