USFK Employee Vaccinated Against COVID-19... Tests Positive for COVID-19 Again

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]Another case has emerged of a Korean who tested positive for COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine among those vaccinated by the US Forces Korea.

According to the US Forces Korea on the 13th, a Korean employee working at Camp Humphreys, a US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, underwent diagnostic testing due to symptom onset and tested positive for COVID-19 on the 11th. It is known that this employee received the single-dose Janssen vaccine from Johnson & Johnson in March.

However, the US Forces Korea stated regarding this matter, "Verification is limited due to personal information protection." This is the third confirmed case of COVID-19 infection after vaccination among Korean civilian employees, staff, and KATUSA personnel vaccinated by the US Forces Korea.

Previously, two KATUSA personnel who received the Janssen vaccine were confirmed positive for COVID-19 at US military bases in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, at the end of last month and early this month, respectively. It is reported that up to now, about 17,000 Koreans, including approximately 2,000 KATUSA personnel, have been vaccinated with Janssen, Moderna, and other vaccines by the US Forces Korea.

Meanwhile, the last time this employee visited Camp Humphreys was on the 10th, and the US Forces Korea reported that the employee is currently quarantined at a COVID-19 dedicated facility operated by Korean health authorities outside the base. The US Forces Korea is conducting an epidemiological investigation together with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and is implementing disinfection measures at facilities inside and outside the base that the employee visited. As of this date, the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to the US Forces Korea has increased to 855.