Another service member of South Korea's Cheonghae anti-piracy unit has tested positive for COVID-19, raising total infections on the naval destroyer stationed in Africa to seven as of Saturday morning.

The newly confirmed patient showed symptoms of pneumonia three days ago and had been hospitalized since then.

The first case was reported Thursday in what is now a cluster outbreak on the 44-hundred ton destroyer carrying a 300-strong unit.

South Korea has requested local health authorities conduct PCR tests on all crew members but the results have yet to come in.

The Cheonghae Unit was deployed to the Gulf of Aden off the Somalian coast in early February, before vaccines were introduced in Korea. 

The South Korean military plans to dispatch a pair of aerial tankers over the weekend to bring all crew members back home and is holding talks with local diplomatic missions regarding the passage of airspace.

A team will also be sent to the site to also bring back the destroyer.