[1-3] South Korea
· On 22 September 2021, 5 new cases were reported from Army units in Damyang and Yeoncheon (2 cases), an Air Force unit in Cheongju, a Navy unit in Jeju and a defense ministry unit in Seongnam (1 case each). This brings the total number of cases in the military to 1,711, of which 137 cases were reported from fully vaccinated individuals.
· On 23 September 2021, 3 cases were reported from 2 Army members from Pocheon and a Marine from Gimpo. The army members, an officer and a solider, were confirmed to be infected following their recent vacation. As of 23 September 2021, a total of 1,714 cases with 1,660 full recoveries were reported in the South Korean military.
· On 24 September 2021, the military reported 9 new COVID-19 cases amongst army soldiers (6 cases) and the Marines (3 cases). All cases in Marines were reported from Gimpo, who were infected following a infection at their base. All Army soldier cases were infected during or after a vacation, except for one case from Yeoncheon who was infected through previous contact with an infected colleague. This brings the total number of cases reported in the military to 1,723 cases as of 24 September 2021.
[4-6] United States
· On 18 September 2021, a public health emergency was declared in Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, an air base in Alaska, for 30 days in response to rising COVID-19 cases in Alaska. The base has transited to Health Protection Condition Bravo and encouraged all personnel to avoid places that do not require masks or social distancing.
· A total of 3 new deaths were reported amongst US service members on 20 September 2021, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in US service members to 46, all of which occurred in unvaccinated individuals and at least half reported since mid-July 2021. As of 15 September 2021, a total of 238,120 cases with 2,175 hospitalisations and 46 deaths was reported in the US military across the various service arms: Army (82,983 cases), Navy (46,463 cases), Air Force (40,951 cases), National Guard (38,871 cases), Marine Corps (27,418 cases) and DoD Agencies (1,434 cases).
[7] United States Forces Korea
· On 23 September 2021, a total of 14 new cases were reported from service members (8 cases) and USFK-affiliated individuals (6 cases) since 13 September 2021. Cases were reported from service members at Camp Humphreys (3 cases), Osan Air base (2 cases) and Camp Casey (2 cases), and a service member on temporary duty to USFK. Remaining cases in affiliated members include family members (3 cases) and civilian workers for the USFK (3 cases). This brings the total number of cases in the USFK-affiliated population to 1,435 cases as of 23 September 2021.
[8-11] United States Forces Japan
· Between 11 September to 17 September 2021, 54 new cases were reported across 4 military bases in Japan. Most infections were reported from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa (38 cases), which has 68 active cases as of 17 September 2021. Cases were also reported from Yokota Air Base (7 cases), Yokosuka Naval Base (6 cases) and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (3 cases).
· On 20 September 2021, a case was reported from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, bringing the number of active infections on the base to 3. The latest case was detected in a mandatory test prior to international travel on 17 September 2021.
· On 21 September 2021, a total of 7 cases were reported from Yokosuka Naval base (2 cases) and Yokota Air Base (5 cases). This brings the number of active cases at each base to 15 cases and 18 cases respectively, as of 21 September 2021.
· On 22 September 2021, 12 cases were reported by the US Army Japan since 15 September 2021, of which 11 cases were close contacts of a previous case and the remaining case tested positive prior to travelling outside Japan.
Sources:
- https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210922003900325?section=search
- https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210923003700325
- https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210924003900325?section=search
- https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2021-09-18/alaska-elmendorf-public-health-emergency-coronavirus-covid-2930143.html
- https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Coronavirus-DoD-Response/
- https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2021/09/military-covid-deaths-rise-sharply-among-the-unvaccinated/
- https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210923006200325?section=search
- https://www.stripes.com/covid/2021-09-17/kadena-air-base-okinawa-38-coronavirus-cases-2919226.html
- https://www.stripes.com/covid/2021-09-20/coronavirus-covid-19-tokyo-japan-us-military-case-numbers-2951741.html
- https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2021-09-21/tokyo-coronavirus-covid-19-us-military-japan-2964959.html
- https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2021-09-22/us-army-japan-coronavirus-covid-19-tokyo-2978774.html