BTS Singer, Jimin Tests Positive To COVID-19 While Recovering From Appendicitis Surgery

Jimin, a member of the K-pop group BTS, has tested positive for COVID-19 and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis, his management agency Big Hit Music said on Monday.

Jimin, whose full name isPark Ji-min, went to the hospital on Sunday after suffering from sudden abdominal pain along with a mild sore throat,Big Hit Music said in a statement.

He tested positive for the coronavirus, and underwent surgery for appendicitis on Monday, the statement added.

"The surgery was successful and Jimin is currently recuperating after his procedure," Big Hit Music said, adding that he was making a"speedy recovery" from his COVID-19 infection.

The singer was due to receive several days of in-patient treatment for COVID-19 along with postoperative care, the statement said.

Jimin, 26, is at least the fourth member of the seven-member group to test positive for the coronavirus.

South Korea has kept overall COVID-19 cases and deaths low with aggressive contact tracing and testing, but the Omicron variant became dominant this month, sending cases to a record daily tally of 17,532 on Sunday.