US Forces Korea tightens quarantine measures

The USFK said in a statement that it will implement enhanced Covid mitigation measures for two weeks through July 23 due to the recent spike, reports Xinhua news agency.

Regardless of vaccination status, all bars and clubs will be off-limits for US troops in the country for the two weeks.

All USFK-affiliated individuals will be required to wear masks indoors on all installations, while travel to Areas I and II in the Seoul metropolitan area will be off-limits except for individuals who live, work or are conducting mission essential activities, the statement said.

The tightened measures came amid the soaring number of infections, especially in the greater Seoul area.

On Friday, South Korea reported 1,316 new cases, lifting the total number of infections to 165,344.

It was the highest daily caseload since the country's first was detected on January 20 last year.

The recent resurgence was attributed to cluster infections in Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi province and the west port city of Incheon. 

Almost 80 per cent of the new cases was reported in the metropolitan area.

The USFK said that five more American soldiers and one dependent tested positive for the virus after arriving in South Korea between June 10 and July 3.

The total number of infections among the USFK-affiliated personnel rose to 978, according to Yonhap news agency.