Japan Expands COVID-19 Testing Targets... Considering Shortening Quarantine Period

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Japanese government has decided to expand the scope of virus testing to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 4th, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that it has expanded the criteria for patients subject to virus testing. The supervision standards requiring medical institutions to report patients with a high possibility of infection to public health centers have been revised. This measure is to prevent the spread amid the recent increase in secondary infections.

Previously, tests were conducted on people who showed pneumonia symptoms or had visited Wuhan within the last two weeks. The scope has been expanded to include people who have visited not only Wuhan but the entire Hubei Province within the last 14 days, as well as all those who had close contact with them. In addition to pneumonia, people with symptoms such as cough and fever are now also included as subjects for testing.

At the same time, the government is considering shortening the facility stay period for Japanese nationals returning from Wuhan, China. Yoshihide Suga, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting that the World Health Organization (WHO) stated the virus incubation period is about 10 days at most, shorter than expected, and added, "Considering various circumstances, we are reviewing the facility stay period and the period for entry refusal." The Japanese government had originally planned to quarantine people in facilities for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Secretary Suga said regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan scheduled for April, "We will quietly prepare as planned."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.