A large part of the crew on a South Korean destroyer was infected with the corona virus, and all men must now disembark. Military planes were dispatched. A replacement team is supposed to steer the ship home.
All hands on board: A corona mass outbreak occurred on a destroyer of the South Korean Navy. Of the approximately 300-strong crew, 247 are said to have been infected with the virus. On Sunday, military planes were sent to take the entire crew home.
How it came to the outbreak is not yet known. However, the military authorities have already indicated that it could be related to a stop in a port in the region at the end of June. The destroyer had docked to load goods. Two military planes have now been dispatched to pick up the 301 sailors. According to the “Yonhap” news agency, which cites military sources, none of the infected is seriously ill.
Only one is under observation. “CNA” reported on Sunday, however, of 15 crew members who are being treated in an unspecified African hospital. The destroyer is now to be brought back to South Korea by a replacement team. The 150 members of the Navy will need about a month for this.
Largest corona outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic
The destroyer “Munmu The Great” has been on a mission since the beginning of February to fight pirates in the Gulf of Arden between Yemen and northern Somalia. South Korea has been participating in such anti-pirate patrols since 2009. According to official information, the six-month deployment should have ended next month. Another destroyer, which is supposed to continue the mission, is already on the way. The main task of the Cheonghae unit since it was first deployed was to ensure the safe passage of South Korean ships there.
South Korea has come through the pandemic relatively lightly so far. But now the country is seeing a sharp increase in the number of infections, the numbers are higher than ever. More than 1,100 new infections have been reported every day for about two weeks, with 1252 cases on Sunday alone. The main driver is the highly contagious Delta variant.
In the 52 million inhabitant country, only 12.7 percent are fully vaccinated so far, around 31.3 percent have received at least one vaccination dose. Also on board the “Munmu the Great” no one was vaccinated. The destroyer was on a mission before the vaccination campaign started in the country, health and military authorities announced. In South Korea, particularly vulnerable elderly population groups were initially vaccinated. The number of hospital admissions and deaths has so far not increased significantly.
South Korea is tightening the measures
In order to get the increasing number of infections under control, the South Korean authorities are relying on tightened measures. For example, private gatherings of more than two people after 6 p.m. are currently prohibited, as are most rallies and exhibitions. Funerals and weddings may only be celebrated within families.
In addition, there are sometimes unconventional measures. In the capital Seoul, for example, the fitness studios remain open, masks do not have to be worn there, but the music that is heard is regulated. In certain sports classes such as aerobics, music that is not faster than 120 beats per minute is only allowed to be played because “rapid breathing during intense activities can spatter a lot of saliva,” said the Ministry of Health in a press release.
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