SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen more U.S. soldiers and five other individuals in South Korea tested positive for COVID-19, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has said.

The USFK said in a statement that 18 USFK-affiliated individuals were confirmed with COVID-19 after arriving in South Korea between Oct. 25 and Oct. 29.

Nine service members and one dependent arrived at Osan Air Base on U.S. government-chartered flights from the United States on Oct. 25, Oc. 28 and Oc. 29. The Osan Air Base is located in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul.

Four service members, three dependents, and one contractor arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on international commercial flights on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28.

The confirmed patients have been transferred to designated isolation facilities at Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base, both of which are located in Pyeongtaek.

The total number of infections among the USFK-affiliated persons rose to 277, according to Yonhap news agency.

Worry remained here over the virus spread. In the latest tally, South Korea reported 97 more cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the total number of infections to 26,732.

The daily caseload fell below 100 in six days, but the double-digit growth continued due to small cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area.