Polish defence minister, Mariusz Błaszczak, has announced that the military will be providing over 1,000 beds for Covid-19 patients. The country’s Prime Minister, during a presentation at the lower house of the parliament, also announced the need for additional hospital beds would be met by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health, as well as district hospitals.
Seven service members from the United States Forces Korea (USFK) tested positive for on arrival in South Korea. Four of the service members arrived on US chartered flights on October 5, 9, 17 and 19, and three arrived on commercial flights on October 18 and 19. The first four members tested positive in the first mandatory Covid-19 test, while the other three tested positive during quarantine.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided two Covid-19 testing machines to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) improve testing capacity in Manila. Each of the machines is capable of testing 100 people in an hour and will be installed at the Philippine Army Molecular Laboratory, where AFP personnel will be tested as they engage in Covid-19 response initiatives.
Patriot Express flights, which are used to transport United States Armed Forces members and their families, will begin random Covid-19 testing of passengers boarding from the Seattle-Tacoma and Baltimore-Washington airports.