COVID-19 in Japan and Japanese waters

[trevella]

I am responsible for Japan-related information at work, so thought I would collect "developing news" reports here. There are too many other threads to know which one would be most relevant.

A press conference is currently being held to discuss the results of testing for the people who arrived on the first charter flight from Wuhan on January 29.

 

[zenyattamondatta]

There’s a *much* better place for this sort of stuff. Please check your Bloomberg email for details.

 

[trevella]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has altered its language relative to its previous advice and is now (as of February 12) advising that Japanese citizens consider returning from all parts of China or postponing trips to China "as a matter of urgency".

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for sharing your information on AFF, @trevella . Appreciated.

 

[trevella]

The Japanese government has just allocated ¥450 million (a bit over AUD6 million) for subsidies to domestic mask producers. 70% of demand had been met by imports from China until recently.

 

[trevella]

Nikkei analysis of impact on flights to/from China (based on 80 mainland Chinese airports that have international flights):

Around 7,500 flights cancelled from January 25 through February 11, equivalent to 2.4 million seats on a round-trip basis after taking aircraft type into consideration.

Number of Japan routes now at 75 (average for Feb 9-11), down over 50% (from Jan 26-28). Number of South Korean routes down from around 120 to 60.

Number of routes down 85% for Singapore.

Coronavirus slashes China's international flight routes by 67%

Impact on aviation industry appears to exceed SARS outbreak

asia.nikkei.com

 

[trevella]

A press conference is currently being held to discuss the results of testing for the people who arrived on the first charter flight from Wuhan on January 29.

All 197 people who had been staying in hotels etc. tested negative and will be allowed to return home.

199 people from the second flight (arrived January 30) will be tested from today.

145 from the third flight (arrived January 31) will be tested from tomorrow February 13.

 

[trevella]

Wanted Chinese man arrested after re-entering Japan to buy face masks - The Mainichi

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- A Chinese man wanted for fraud in Japan has been arrested after re-entering the country to buy face masks amid the coronavirus outbre

mainichi.jp

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- A Chinese man wanted for fraud in Japan has been arrested after re-entering the country to buy face masks amid the coronavirus outbreak, police said Wednesday.

Zhang Zhiqiang was arrested Feb. 2 when he arrived at Kansai airport in Osaka with an empty suitcase, the police said.

"I came to Japan to buy masks for friends who live in China," the 22-year-old was quoted by the police as telling investigators.

Zhang allegedly withdrew around 1.4 million yen ($12,730) from an ATM with a cash card on Feb. 20 last year that was stolen from a woman in her 80s in Osaka.

 

[eastwest101]

Just been through Kyoto and Nagoya sightseeing, still a fair few Japanese tourists around, a smattering of European and Australian tourists, noticeable lack of mainland Chinese tourists around and hotel prices quite reasonable which is nice considering the rubbish JPY/AUD exchange rate.

Escalator handrails receiving special attention in Japanese railway stations but that might be routine here anyway,

Saw a fun facemask frenzy at a store in Tokyo last week with stock being sold as the assistant unpacked the boxes. Looked to be mostly people of Chinese appearance buying there but here in Japan in the last few days it's about 40% wearing masks on public transport across the board.

 

[trevella]

The Japanese government has now decided to let people leave the Diamond Princess and move to a government-operated facility if they are over 80, have some underlying medical condition, or are in a windowless room provided that they first test negative for COVID-19.

 

[trevella]

44 new infections just confirmed on the Diamond Princess, which breaks down into 43 passengers and one crew member.

Those 44 came out of 221 new tests.

Total now up to 218 infections.

 

[Pushka]

44 new infections just confirmed on the Diamond Princess, which breaks down into 43 passengers and one crew member.

Those 44 came out of 221 new tests.

Total now up to 218 infections.

Gosh. It’s a hot mess. Is it possible for this particular outbreak to have been more virulent than others or has the ship simply been a perfect environment for spread? Do you think it has started from just the Patient 0 or is it likely many onboard came on with the virus?

 

[trevella]

More from NHK:

226 of the 2,666 passengers were over 80, it's unclear as to how many are currently still on the ship. They're all now being tested, and those with negative results will be free to leave (i.e. move to a government-designated facility) from tomorrow.

One guy in his 70s came down with a fever on Feb 8 and tested "tentatively positive" (whatever that means) and was removed from the ship on Feb 9. He's now in the ICU and reportedly not doing well. His wife was left alone on board and was not even tested until yesterday (Feb 12) evening.

 

[Anna]

Thanks @trevella for these updates

 

[trevella]

A Tokyo taxi driver has now tested positive.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Gosh. It’s a hot mess. Is it possible for this particular outbreak to have been more virulent than others or has the ship simply been a perfect environment for spread? Do you think it has started from just the Patient 0 or is it likely many onboard came on with the virus?

I would believe that history has shown that cruise ships are rife for spreading disease, from gastro to cold/flu to this current virus.

Close and repeated contact combined with poor hygiene of most people (ie most people whether cruise passengers or not do not wash their hands often enough or well enough).

You get similar problems at things like Scout Camps. Though at least with scouts kids will follow process if the leaders are switched on. On cruise ships people mainly ignore the hand sanitising stations as but one example.

 

[trevella]

JPY15.3 billion (around AUD207 million) just announced by Prime Minister Abe for emergency COVID-19 measures.

 

[trevella]

ANA to cut flights to China (and Hong Kong) further from 186 return trips per week as of February 6 to 85 from February 20. Currently planned to run through March 28.

 

[DC3]

I would believe that history has shown that cruise ships are rife for spreading disease, from gastro to cold/flu to this current virus ...

Yes, so it seems that on top of the gastro cruises, Coronavirus is being unleashed into the mix.

 

[trevella]

A doctor has been infected in Wakayama Prefecture.