SEOUL, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- United States Forces Korea announced Friday that it was strengthening its coronavirus containment measures as a COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea continues to surge, topping 1,000 cases for the third straight day.
In a statement, USFK commander Gen. Robert Abrams said he had "supreme confidence" that South Korean health officials would bring the outbreak under control, but added that the military would take an "aggressive approach" to containing the virus.
"[O]ut of an abundance of caution to protect the force, we must maintain the overall health and safety of our community by applying an immediate, aggressive approach to preventing the virus' spread," Abrams said.
The USFK raised its restrictions to health protection level Charlie, the second-highest on the scheme laid out by the Pentagon for troops stationed overseas.
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Under the new guidelines, which go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, only "mission essential" workers will report for in-person duty, while all others will work remotely, the statement said. Much of South Korea, including the Seoul metropolitan area, has been placed off-limits except for official duties, and all other travel between facilities is discouraged.
Face masks have also been made mandatory inside buildings at all USFK installations and outdoors when 6.6 feet of distancing cannot be maintained.
Abrams said that the USFK "maintains one of the most aggressive quarantine programs with Department of Defense, and has zero transmissions of the virus from USFK to the ROK communities." The Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea.
He said the military's efforts had "contributed to our remarkable record of only 30 on-peninsula confirmed cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began."
Overall, the USFK has reported a total of 442 COVID-19 cases, with most of them coming from positive tests upon arrival to South Korea from the United States. Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean health officials have been struggling to contain a third wave of COVID-19 cases that began in mid-November and has reached record-high numbers this week.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 1,062 new cases on Friday, bringing the overall caseload to 47,515 and straining the healthcare system, which is facing a shortage of hospital beds.
The government has ramped up testing to stem the spread of the virus, opening 150 makeshift testing centers around the Seoul area, but officials have avoided raising distancing restrictions to the highest phase, Level 3.
The new restrictions would shut down schools and many businesses, ban all gatherings of more than 10 people and allow only essential workers into offices. Restaurants and cafes would be restricted to only takeout and delivery services.
On Friday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government was working out the details for a rapid move to Level 3 if necessary, but warned that the additional guidelines would take a heavy toll on the economy.
"If distancing is increased to Level 3, approximately 2 million shops and facilities will be closed or restricted from operating," Chung said at a government meeting.
