Isolated Japanese Cruise Ship... 20 New Coronavirus Cases Confirmed in Two Days (Comprehensive)

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] It has been reported that 10 additional cases of novel coronavirus infection have occurred on a large Japanese cruise ship boarded by a Hong Kong resident confirmed to have COVID-19 (Wuhan pneumonia). On the 5th, the number of infected individuals increased to 20, including the 10 confirmed patients.

According to NHK on the 6th, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that among approximately 3,700 passengers and crew members aboard the large cruise ship "Diamond Princess," which is anchored off Yokohama Port, 10 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. This came one day after 10 infected individuals were confirmed on the cruise ship.

The Ministry collected specimens from 273 people among those on board who had contact with the infected Hong Kong resident or showed symptoms such as fever and cough, and announced the test results for 102 of them. Among these 102 tested, 20 were confirmed infected so far, and there is a possibility that the number of patients will increase once the results for the remaining 171 are announced.

Among the 10 newly confirmed cases, 4 were Japanese, 2 were American, 2 were Canadian, and there was one New Zealander and one Taiwanese. By age group, there was one person in their 50s, four in their 60s, and five in their 70s. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare sent the newly confirmed infected patients to medical institutions within Kanagawa Prefecture, where Yokohama Port is located.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Earlier, an 80-year-old male resident of Hong Kong who had boarded this cruise ship was confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus on the 2nd after disembarking in Hong Kong on the 25th of last month. After receiving related information from Hong Kong authorities, the Japanese government denied the cruise ship's entry and has been checking the health status of all passengers since the 3rd. The cruise ship carries a total of 3,711 people, including 2,666 passengers (1,281 Japanese) and 1,045 crew members from 56 countries and regions, including Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

The remaining passengers and crew must stay on board for about two weeks until the 19th, considering the virus incubation period. The cruise ship is anchored offshore at a distance from Yokohama Port, and according to foreign media, passengers basically stay in their own rooms and eat meals served by crew members in their rooms rather than in the dining hall.

To alleviate passengers' anxiety, the cruise operator provides free internet and phone services so they can contact family members. On the previous night, considering passengers who have chronic illnesses and need medication, forms were distributed to request pharmaceuticals. On the morning of this day, the cruise ship docked at the pier to receive food and supplies. Japanese media reported that some passengers came out onto balconies connected to their rooms and waved their hands while looking toward the land.

The Asahi Shimbun pointed out that regarding the spread of infection on this cruise ship, it is generally easy for group infections such as influenza to occur because many people share the same space for a certain period for lodging and meals. It explained that narrow corridors make contact between passengers easy, and the frequent shaking forces people to hold onto handrails, increasing the likelihood of infection spread.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government is considering extending the quarantine period for its nationals returning from Hubei Province, China, from 10 days to 12.5 days. Initially, the government designated the quarantine period as 14 days but shortened it to 10 days considering the incubation period. The Yomiuri Shimbun quoted a senior Japanese government official on this day, saying that since the World Health Organization (WHO) changed the novel coronavirus incubation period from "2 to 10 days" to "1 to 12.5 days," it is necessary to follow this and is reviewing extending the quarantine period to 12.5 days. The Japanese government plans to decide soon on whether to change the quarantine period, referencing expert opinions.

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