Press Conference on Quarantined Ship Feb 5, 2020

[niman]

Outline of Kato Minister's Interview (New Coronavirus Infections Confirmed on Cruise Ship Quarantined at Yokohama Port)

(Wednesday, February 5, 2nd, 8: 42-8: 59)

[Public Relations Office]

Conference Details

Opening announcement

Minister:

On January 25, a cruise ship "Diamond Princess" arriving at Yokohama Port was inspected at a hospital in Hong Kong on January 25 by a person who disembarked from the cruise ship and found to be infected with the new coronavirus. Was Based on this, we are currently conducting on-board quarantine based on the Quarantine Law for the new coronavirus designated as a quarantine infectious disease from February 1. Although quarantine is still ongoing, samples have been collected from a total of 273 persons with symptoms such as fever, or those with close contacts, and are currently being analyzed on board. The virus test results for 31 of them were found, and 10 had a positive reaction. For this reason, from around 7:30 am today, these people have been disembarked by a quarantine officer and transported to a medical institution in Kanagawa Prefecture with the cooperation of the Japan Coast Guard. These 10 patients are considered patients who are eligible for measures such as hospitalization based on the Infectious Diseases Law. When judging only by epidemiological conditions without scientifically confirming the presence or absence of the virus in the new coronavirus, measures are being taken assuming a maximum incubation period of 14 days. Based on that, we are currently implementing immigration restrictions. We hope that the remaining crew and passengers will stay on board for as long as necessary, taking into account that approach. At the same time, we would like you to take thorough measures to prevent infection on board the ship and wait while waiting in the cabin, and we will continue to proceed with ship quarantine. We will give due consideration to the health of passengers and other passengers, and give top priority to it, and we will take every possible measure to prevent the spread of infection. That's it for me.

Question

Reporter:

Let me confirm the current test results. If the results were found for 31 people and 10 were positive, would that mean that 21 people had already been confirmed as negative?

Minister:

That's right.

Reporter:

Do you mean that the remaining 242 people are now being checked for virus tests?

Minister:

That's right. To be precise, some are working on quarantine checks. Then, some samples were collected from yesterday evening to this morning, so I put them on the ship with the patients and patients who had a positive reaction, and now I want to analyze each of the samples It is in the stage of transporting and conducting investigation in the future.

Reporter:

Has the on-board medical examinations already been completed, is there any other person who needs virus testing as an infected person or a close contact person besides these 273 people?

Minister:

At present, the health check or temperature measurement, and also the questionnaire or, of course, filling out the questionnaire, and the questionnaire based on that, and a series of work have been completed. Then, I mentioned that PCR testing is for 273 people earlier, but looking at the situation of this new type of coronavirus, China, etc., there is a danger that it will be serious in the elderly and those with basic diseases . Therefore, assuming that, although this is as soon as it is ready, it is not necessary for the elderly or those who have basic diseases to perform PCR tests at this stage in advance or at this stage I would like to proceed with preparations to take such measures.

Reporter:

Are there any patients who are severely ill now about the symptoms of patients who are positive?

Minister:

We are currently checking the situation. However, we know that no one is transported by stretchers. However, I can't say anything more than that if I don't do the examination properly while entering the hospital again.

Reporter:

Let me ask you two points. Please tell me about the condition of 10 people, fever and cough. Another point is that for the 14 days that the Minister mentioned earlier, I think that it was a statement that the purpose was to stay on board even if it was negative, but this was set as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare when it would stay on board for how long Please tell me if you do.

Minister:

First of all, about 10 people, I know that there are symptoms, but the specific situation must be checked again in the hospital again to be accurate There is no situation to say. Also, 14 days is not a decision to be made 14 days now. However, given that the measures taken so far are 14 days, I think it is necessary to stay on board for the necessary period. And this is an additional story, this boat has 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members, a total of nearly 3,700 people on board, but in addition to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan There are people from 56 countries and regions, including. Therefore, we think that we must respond while taking such things into account.

Reporter:

The ship will not be in quarantine, the landing permission will not be granted, and passengers and crew who are currently offshore for about 14 days will have to stay inside. Do you?

Minister:

Firstly, one is that we are currently engaged in ship quarantine, so of course, no quarantine certificate has been issued, including a temporary quarantine certificate. No, this is the current situation. However, we are far away now, but we need to consult with you about the specific situation of the ship from now on, but in any case, please keep in mind the period you mentioned earlier on the ship I think it will be.

Reporter:

According to WHO, even the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has shown that it is okay to shorten the incubation period from 14 days to about 10 days, but for now, Do you mean you are watching for 14 days?

Minister:

It is important to carry out the PCR test at least when you leave the PCR for at least 10 days, and for charter flights this time, you have to do the PCR test once, and then 10 days later, do the PCR test again, If it is negative, those who have gone through such a procedure for 10 days, otherwise, the epidemiology I mentioned earlier is 14 days because there is no symptom because there is no symptom. Therefore, at this stage, it is not yet a situation to perform PCR tests on these people, so it is necessary to think about 14 days in principle.

Reporter:

Does 14 days mean 14 days, counting today as zero day?

Minister:

As I mentioned a little earlier, unless you take action to prevent infection, if there are many opportunities to contact various places so far, it is impossible to judge epidemiologically where there was no infection, so starting from today, And at this stage, in the case of contact, for example, it is a droplet infection, so at 2 meters or 3 meters, for example, when you eat at the cafeteria, what kind of action should you take such a distance, Or, we are now making sure that we do not want to do anything on board, so we have to think about starting from today.

Reporter:

If you know the breakdown of 10 passengers and passengers, please tell me.

Minister:

I'm sorry, but I can't say for sure. I don't know at this time.

Reporter:

It seems that 10 out of 31 people seems to be a fairly high rate, but did you preferentially preferentially test those who have good symptoms, or there is no such thing, random examination As a result, please tell me if that person came out.

Minister:

At this stage, it is not always clear how it was taken. Whether it's totally random, for example, if a group of affected individuals were in it, is still a bit unclear in the current situation.

Reporter:

These 10 people, could you tell me the breakdown of gender, age, etc.?

Minister:

Three of the ten are Japanese nationals. Age is over 50 generations. Some of them are in their 80s.

Reporter:

Do you have any such thoughts or considerations at this stage, such as a first-class infectious disease under the Infectious Diseases Law, or using Article 34 of the Quarantine Act?

Minister:

Regarding this case, we are still in the quarantine quarantine situation mentioned earlier, and there is no situation in which such measures must be taken in this situation.

Reporter:

Now that you have 31 people turned out, what do you think is the prospect of eventually finding all 273?

Minister:

One is that the ballast of the ship is full and we have to pull it out, so we know that we are probably moving or going to the open ocean now. So it takes at least 10 hours to get back. The first step is that such measures are being taken by ship. It means replacing ballast. This is the current movement of the ship. And as for the PCR test, as I mentioned earlier, I already got it off, and I got off the ship with the people who tested positive and just delivered it right now and take it to each place, I believe that it will take a few days to reach and confirm each one.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/kaiken/daijin/0000194708_00199.html