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With roughly 72 hours until their 14-day quarantine is scheduled to end, 70 additional passengers aboard the Princess Diamond have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Of those, 38 (54%) are reportedly asymptomatic.
To date, 355 COVID-19 case have been identified aboard ship, out of 1,219 people tested (1/3rd of the ship's passengers and crew). Of those, just over 30% were asymptomatic.With 2/3rds of the ship's complement still untested, finding this high of a percentage of positive carriers (many of whom are asymptomatic) this late into the quarantine period is a concern. At this point it isn't clear what additional steps the Japanese government will consider should positive cases continue to turn up.
First the latest Japanese MOH report, then I'll return with a postscript.
New Coronavirus Infection Confirmed on A Cruise Ship In Quarantine at Yokohama Port (10th Report)
The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which arrived at Yokohama Port on February 3, is being quarantined at sea. Among the 289 people who have conducted tests on new coronaviruses, including those with fever and other symptoms, mainly those who are considered to be at high risk from the viewpoint of ensuring health due to their long-term stay on board, The positive of the new coronavirus was confirmed for 70 people (of which 38 of whom possessed asymptomatic pathogens). In the future, we will transport it to medical institutions that have infectious disease wards.
A total of 1,219 people were tested for positive testing of 355 (including 111 in total of 111 people who possess asymptomous pathogens).
Some of the people being transported include the elderly and foreign nationals, and it is necessary to take care of them considering their physical condition. We would like to ask all the people involved in this matter to give special consideration to the coverage of this matter.
Quarantine scans for such cruise ships will continue. New coronavirus tests are conducted on those who need them, and the results will be announced later.
One of the big unknowns that public health officials are undoubtedly scrambling to figure out is how, and when, these recently reported cases were infected. Whether - despite the lockdown aboard ship - ongoing transmission continued.
As mentioned 24 hours ago, the U.S. Embassy has announced that the United States Will Evacuate Quarantined Americans Aboard Diamond Princess, with chartered planes scheduled to arrive in Japan today (16th).
Those who accept this lift home will be subject to an additional 14-day quarantine (see details below), and only those without symptoms will be permitted to leave. Those that remain will be subject to the further orders of the Japanese government.
An excerpt from a U.S. Embassy letter to U.S. citizens aboard the Diamond Princess follows:
In order to ensure a smooth repatriation process to the United States, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo requires your response by 10:00 am Tokyo time. As you consider whether to take advantage of this option, we are sharing additional information with you about these onward arrangements:
• Health authorities will screen all passengers prior to allowing them to board the chartered flights. No symptomatic or infected passengers will be allowed to board.
• Passengers on the chartered aircraft will be quarantined in the United States at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California or Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas for 14 days upon arrival. These sites were specifically selected to ensure health care facilities are immediately available in the vicinity to treat any medical needs.
• Medical professionals will be present on the flights to provide medical care, if needed. You will have access to medication and medical care at all times.
• If your immediate family member is not a U.S. citizen, they will also be accommodated on these flights.
• You will not be liable for the cost of the chartered flights to the United States. However, after your quarantine in the United States, you will be responsible for your onward travel to your home.
• We would like to highlight potential constraints that would impact your return to the United States in the next two weeks if you choose not to take these flights and instead choose to remain on the ship until February 19. After you disembark from the Diamond Princess, under U.S. quarantine orders, you will be required to wait 14 days without symptoms and positive test results before you are permitted to board commercial flights to the United States.
Hong Kong and Canada have announced similar plans, and returnees will reportedly face similar 14-day quarantines when they return home.• Governments in the region have been implementing fast changing travel rules in regard to individuals who have been in high risk environments for exposure to COVID-19. These charter flights are your only option to fly to the United States before March 4, 2020, at the earliest.If you reside in Japan, or another location outside of the United States, and therefore elect not to use the chartered transportation, after you disembark you may be subject to abide by local quarantine and health monitoring obligations as required by the Government of Japan or your local health authorities.
