A batch of newly commissioned nursing officers headed to Daegu, the southeastern city hit hardest by the novel coronavirus, to help treat a skyrocketing number of infected patients.
Commissioned as lieutenants a week earlier than scheduled, the 75 officers will work at the military’s hospital in Daegu, one of several nationwide that the government has designated as treatment centers for COVID-19 patients, to cope with the virus outbreak.
“Patients come before me,” said Lt. Kim Seul-gi.
“We part ways now, but we stand as one to carry out our mission,” said fellow Lt. Shin Na-mi at the graduation ceremony for the Armed Forces Nursing Academy in the central city of Daejeon on Tuesday.
Attended by Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, the ceremony was held without outside guests, not even family members. It was livestreamed in real time on YouTube and Facebook.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Korea had reported about 5,000 patients infected with the new virus and 29 deaths. Thirty-one members of the Korean military were confirmed to have contracted the virus, and 8,270 service members have been quarantined.
Source: The Korea Herald, Armed Forces Nursing Academy
