<Anchor> The



large-scale mass infection that was feared by the Navy's Cheonghae Unit, the Munmu the Great, has become a reality. Of the 300 people on the ship, more than 60 have been confirmed, and the number of confirmed cases is expected to rise further. Two Korean Air Force transport planes are going to the field to return all of our troops home.



Correspondent Kim A-young.



<Reporter>



Among the 301 crew members of the Cheonghae Unit, the Munmu the Great, who received the DNA amplification PCR test, 101 soldiers received results.



Yesterday (18th), an additional 61 people were confirmed a day, the cumulative number of confirmed cases is 68, which is equivalent to two-thirds of the number of people with results.



A similar number of confirmed cases is expected among the remaining 200, so the size of the infection is expected to be much larger.



[Jeong Ki-seok / Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital: (because I stopped by the port of call) If the corona is spreading in the area, then if there is a patient with symptoms, you should immediately think of it as Corona 19. It should have been taken so that a proper examination could be done immediately.]



Three additional patients showing symptoms of pneumonia were additionally hospitalized, raising the total number of hospitalized patients to 15.



The South Korean military's operation to return all crew members to their homeland has also begun.



Two multi-purpose transport planes arriving to neighboring countries in African waters today were carrying 200 people, including quarantine, medical personnel and naval forces who will drive the Munmu the Great.



The military authorities plan to transport all crew members, including hospitalized patients, on a transport plane immediately upon arrival.



If the process goes without any setbacks, we will arrive at Seongnam Airport in Seoul tomorrow as soon as possible.



It is the first time since the establishment of the military for the early withdrawal of all dispatched troops due to an infectious disease.