What’s at stake if coronavirus spreads through US military? World Peace.

US troops are spread across the globe keeping one territory after another safe. But the latest threat doesn’t come in the form of an army or militia, it comes in the form of the coronavirus.

In an official statement, the US military detailed the first case of a soldier contracting Covid-19, the disease that results from the coronavirus. The soldier was station in South Korea, which has the second largest number of cases in the world. More than 20 South Korean soldiers have already been inflicted with the virus.

Fears that it would spread through the soldier have now seemingly been realized, as new reports suggested that his wife has also tested positive. Two other USFK employees are also sick.

The spread of the virus can make things difficult not just for the US military but all the people that the men and women in uniform are protecting. While the military is taking all possible measures to make sure that the disease does not spread, the risk level has been set at ‘high’ for now.

South Korea has around 25,000 of our men and women in uniform, tasked with keeping North Korea at bay. It remains to be seen whether the contagion will spread to other members of the soldier’s unit, but if an epidemic is to break out it could prove to have serious consequences for the region itself.

Of course, the US military doesn’t really take a backseat when it sees a crisis. Be it terrorists or a virus, you can rest assured they’re bringing in their A-game to make sure no virus can hit their forces and the very important work that they do.

In South Korea, off-base activities have been brought to a complete halt for protection. There are routine temperature checks and screenings being implemented to make sure that there is a thorough check for the disease.

Travel to China was already banned under orders from Admiral Phil Davidson, commander of US forces in the Pacific. As a precaution, travel of non-essential personnel to South Korea has also been blocked, and military exercises have been temporarily suspended.  Similar precautions are also being taken in countries like Japan, where the US has deployed over 50,000 troops.

Our troops aren’t just in Southeast Asia. Air Force General Tod Wolters, head of US European Command, recently said that he expects a hike in the number of cases coming out of Germany. In Italy, on-base schools have been closed alongside other facilities.

Stateside military installations are also being used to temporarily house quarantined Americans that are flying back home from other countries. Around 60 cases have been confirmed on US soil, so this not a problem to be taken lightly.

Keeping the coronavirus out of the barracks is of utmost priority right now. To say that world peace is at stake wouldn’t be an exaggeration.