Seoul, Nov 27 (IANS): The South Korean military announced on Friday that it has enforced ban on troops from vacationing and taking off-base trips in an effort curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Under the new Level 2.5 social distancing guidance, all service members have been banned from leaving their bases for the next two weeks, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Officers have been restricted from having private meetings, while in-person religious gatherings and business trips are also banned.

Regarding drills, necessary outdoor trainings will be conducted in a way to minimize contact with civilians, while indoor programs will be limited, according to the Defence Ministry.

The new restrictions came in to force after the worst-ever cluster cases among the South Korean military community broke out this week.

Since Wednesday, 66 newly enlisted soldiers and four officers have tested positive at an Army boot camp in the border town of Yeoncheon, said the Yonhap News Agency report.

Virus tests for those at the camp and those who came into contact with them are still under way, according to a the Ministry.

On Friday, the military reported five new Covid-19 cases.

The latest cases brought the total number of infections reported among the military to 347, the Defence Ministry said, adding the figure has grown sharply since mid-November.

Nationwide, the country added 569 new cases, raising the total caseload to 32,887, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The country's death toll stood at 516.