[Comprehensive Report 2] How Many Confirmed Cases in Cheonghae Unit... Evacuation Measures?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Six crew members of the 34th Cheonghae Unit aboard the Munmu the Great ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Since diagnostic tests are planned for all crew members, the possibility of additional confirmed cases cannot be ruled out.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 15th, several crew members of the Cheonghae Unit showed cold symptoms, and on the 13th, PCR tests were conducted on six crew members, all of whom tested positive. Additionally, on the 14th, one officer showing pneumonia symptoms was evacuated to a local civilian hospital, where a PCR test is scheduled.

The Munmu the Great ship, consisting of about 300 personnel including the ship’s crew, a checkpoint team composed of special forces (UDT·SEAL) soldiers, and an aviation unit operating the maritime operation helicopter (LYNX), was deployed to the African Gulf of Aden region. Currently, the Cheonghae Unit has isolated the confirmed cases in separate facilities within the ship, and symptomatic individuals are cohort-isolated in separate facilities on board. Diagnostic tests for all crew members are planned.

However, since the six confirmed cases likely had close contact with most of the crew in confined spaces, the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase. Warships have many bulkheads and enclosed spaces inside, and ventilation systems are interconnected, making it easy for infectious diseases to spread. If the number of confirmed cases rises, navigation may have to be suspended and the ship returned, forcing an operational halt. The military is reportedly considering deploying transport aircraft as well.

In April, more than 30 confirmed cases were reported in a cluster aboard the Navy landing ship Gojunbong. Last year, cluster infections occurred on the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, leading to their return to home ports.

The military is investigating the infection route, as the officer with pneumonia symptoms reportedly performed a military supply loading mission at a local port at the end of last month. There is also a possibility that the Cheonghae Unit came into contact with confirmed cases from other forces during participation in maritime security operations led by the Combined Maritime Forces Counter-Terrorism Task Force 151 (CTF-151) and the European Union Naval Force Somalia Command. The 34th Cheonghae Unit underwent PCR tests twice in January and February before deployment, with all results negative. After the first test, contact with external personnel was blocked for two weeks before departure. Some have criticized that vaccines should have been proactively supplied to the Cheonghae Unit even after the vulnerability to cluster infections on ships was confirmed in the Gojunbong case.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "We are consulting with local diplomatic missions to conduct diagnostic tests for all crew members," and added, "We are devising measures for the prompt treatment of confirmed cases, prevention of spread, and transportation plans for their return to Korea."

Meanwhile, the 34th Cheonghae Unit took over the mission from the 33rd unit aboard the Choi Young ship in March and is scheduled to carry out its mission until August.