The recent COVID-19 flare-ups at several U.S. overseas military bases have sparked concerns among local communities, which are highly skeptical about the U.S. military's containment ability and efforts.
The U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, located in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, confirmed 32 more COVID-19 infections, pushing the total number of cases related to U.S. military facilities in Okinawa to 98, the prefectural government said on Monday.
With only 148 infections since February, excluding those related to the U.S. bases, the prefecture has otherwise been successful in curbing the virus.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said that some U.S. military-linked personnel had held parties in downtown areas and on beaches in the prefecture, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations on July 4.
The U.S. military personnel in Okinawa are on virtual lockdown following an order issued on Saturday morning by the military, which bans almost all off-base movement by the personnel unless approved by an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel or above, according to CNN.
However, Tamaki still questioned the measures taken by the U.S. military to prevent the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus among its personnel based on the island.
"We have strong doubt about measures taken by the U.S. military to prevent spread of the virus," Tamaki told a press conference regarding the spike in cases, adding he was "shocked" at the new infections.
Okinawa hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan, yet the tiny sub-tropical island accounts for just a small fraction of Japan's total landmass.
Meanwhile, infections among U.S. service members have also surged over the past weeks in South Korea, where local transmissions have been under control and there is a growing worry about imported cases.
The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said on Monday that 11 USFK service members were confirmed with the virus after arriving in South Korea, noting that all individuals tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine.
The confirmed cases have been transferred to a designated isolation facility on either Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Base both in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of the capital Seoul.
The total number of infections among the USFK-affiliated individuals rose to 74, according to Yonhap news agency. Of the total, 33 are active-duty soldiers.
During a briefing on Sunday, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun voiced his worry about the increase in USFK cases, calling on South Korean authorities to work with U.S. officials to strengthen quarantine measures, according to media reports.
However, despite the confirmed cases, the USFK said in a statement on Monday that it "remains at a high level of readiness with less than 1 percent of its active duty service members who are currently confirmed positive for COVID-19."
