Over 30 COVID-19 Infections on Italian Cruise Ship Docked at Nagasaki Port, Japan

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] NHK reported on the 22nd that more than 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have occurred on an Italian cruise ship docked at Nagasaki Port, Japan.

NHK cited Nagasaki Prefecture officials and others, reporting that 33 additional COVID-19 infections were confirmed on the cruise ship "Costa Atlantica," docked at Koyagicho, Nagasaki City.

Previously, Nagasaki City announced that one crew member of this cruise ship was infected with COVID-19. Consequently, COVID-19 tests were conducted on 57 crew members who had close contact, resulting in 33 confirmed infections. The cumulative number of confirmed cases is now 34.

There are no passengers on the Costa Atlantica; only 623 crew members, including one Japanese interpreter, are on board. The Costa Atlantica arrived in Nagasaki on January 29, and since the first confirmed case in Nagasaki on the 14th of last month, no one has boarded or disembarked from the ship.

Nakamura Hodo, Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, stated that PCR tests will be conducted on other crew members, mild cases will continue to be monitored on board, and severe cases will be admitted to medical institutions within the prefecture. If judged negative, they will be advised to return to their home countries if possible.

In early February, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," docked at Yokohama Port, Japan, where about 712 of the approximately 3,700 passengers and crew?nearly 20%?were confirmed positive. There are concerns that COVID-19 may have similarly spread on the Costa Atlantica.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a regular briefing that "upon receiving a cooperation request from the Italian government, staff from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and cluster response experts have already been dispatched," and added, "We will appropriately respond to prevent the spread of infection in coordination with Nagasaki Prefecture and others."

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