Despite being completely vaccinated and based in one of the world’s most remote places, a Belgian scientific research outpost in Antarctica is suffering with an outbreak of COVID-19.

At least 16 of the 25 personnel at the Princess Elisabeth Polar Station have contracted the illness since December 14.

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Officials claim that so yet, the cases have been minor.

According to Joseph Cheek, a project manager at the International Polar Foundation, “the situation isn’t dramatic.”

“While it has been an inconvenience to have to quarantine certain members of the staff who caught the virus, it hasn’t significantly affected our work at the station overall,” Cheek said.

“All residents of the station were offered the opportunity to leave on a scheduled flight on 12 January. However, they all expressed their wish to stay and continue their work,” he added.

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On the 14th of December, a team that had arrived seven days earlier received the first positive test.

They were quarantined, along with others who tested positive, yet the infection continued to spread.

Staff must be vaccinated and tested for the virus upon arrival at the station.

The station is staffed with two emergency doctors, and fresh arrivals to the outpost have been halted until the infection has passed.

The International Polar Foundation operates the Princess Elisabeth station, which began operations in 2009.

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It’s not the first time a coronavirus outbreak has hit a research site in Antarctica.

After sailors on a supply ship tested positive for the virus, a number of Chilean military soldiers stationed at Bernardo O’Higgins research station were infected last year.

26 of the 36 people were military personnel and ten were maintenance workers.