Passengers from Japanese cruise ship without 'separate quarantine' test positive in 5 prefectures including Miyagi

Cruise ship 'Diamond Princess'
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Passengers of the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' which was docked at Yokohama Port in Japan, have been testing positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) after initially receiving negative test results and returning home.

According to Kyodo News on the 1st, passengers who disembarked from the Diamond Princess, where a COVID-19 cluster infection occurred, have recently tested positive in five prefectures: Miyagi, Ibaraki, Chiba, Shizuoka, and Tokushima.

Previously, about 900 Diamond Princess passengers were confirmed negative for COVID-19 and returned to their homes within Japan without separate quarantine measures. Local governments in Japan, entrusted with monitoring the situation, have raised criticism toward the central government, stating that "the information is insufficient."

In particular, it was confirmed on this day that a man in his 60s living in Shizuoka City, Japan, who was confirmed infected with COVID-19 on the 28th of last month, visited a local sports club immediately after disembarking from the cruise ship, sparking controversy. This man visited the sports club, which is frequented by many people, on the 20th and 22nd of last month?the same days he was confirmed negative and disembarked?and used the bathroom and changing rooms for about 35 to 40 minutes each time. It is reported that a total of 140 users (both men and women) were present at the sports club during the times he used the facilities over those two days.

Kazuko Kori, mayor of Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, where a man in his 70s who was a cruise ship passenger was confirmed infected with COVID-19 the previous day, expressed concern at a press conference, saying, "I am very worried," and urged, "I hope the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will thoroughly verify this."

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