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By Nissa Wu
May 14, 2020By Nissa Wu
Coronavirus outbreaks in Japan
Coronavirus outbreaks in Japan
Japan is the second country to report confirmed cases of coronavirus outside China since the sudden outbreak of the global pandemic began in Wuhan, China. The Japanese government reported the first confirmed case in Kanagawa Prefecture on January 16, 2020, followed by the first death case in Kanagawa Prefecture on February 13. The Diamond Princess docked on February 3, bringing a total of 721 confirmed cases to Japan. The first coronavirus outbreak stared in Japan.
National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) said that coronavirus detected in passengers aboard the Diamond Princess is closely related to coronavirus detected in Wuhan, but it has not been detected in Japan since March. After March, detected coronavirus was closer to the genetic signature of coronavirus spreading infection in Europe. It may have spread through overseas travelers and returnees. Japan starts a second coronavirus outbreak. As of May, there were more than 16,000 confirmed cases in Japan.
Four Aspects
Four Aspects
Diamond Princess
Diamond Princess
A hotbed for coronavirus outbreak
A hotbed for coronavirus outbreak
The Diamond Princess docked in Yokohama Port on the evening of February 3 with about 3,800 people on board. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has imposed a quarantine on the Diamond Princess after an 80-year-old Hong Kong man was confirmed to be infected with coronavirus a week after he left the ship on January 25. On February 5, Japanese quarantine officials tested 10 out of 31 passengers positive for coronavirus. The captain immediately announced that the diamond princess had entered a 14-day quarantine at sea.
The decision of sealing the ship triggered global public opinion. Some experts believed that the continued spread of the coronavirus on the diamond princess did not achieve the goal of isolation. As cruise ship staff continued to care for passengers on board, which increased the risk of coronavirus infection among passengers. The 14-day quarantine left passengers in a panic emotion, and the Japanese government was underneath the humanitarian pressure. Passengers began disembarking on February 19. By March 1, all of the passengers and staff had evacuated the cruise ship. Overall, the Diamond Princess had 721 confirmed cases.
Policy
Policy
Coronavirus security measures by the Japanese government
Coronavirus security measures by the Japanese government
In February, the Japanese government issued a series of requests: nationwide suspension or downscaling of major events, closure of schools across the country, and restrictions on travel to countries affected by the coronavirus. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare urged people not to go to places with poor ventilation and crowds because of the cluster of infections in public places.
Basic prevention and treatment strategies for coronavirusImage souce: Machikatsu
Epidemic control policy by the Japanese government
Epidemic control policy by the Japanese government
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes the goal on coronavirus infection control is,
The main goal of the measures to be taken is to control the spread of infection and reduce the number of seriously ill persons and deaths as much as possible.
If the epidemic worsens in the future, unless it is the elderly or patients with underlying diseases, patients with mild symptoms of cold should, in principle, stay at home for rest, and contact medical institutions for treatment if the disease worsens. The elderly and people with underlying diseases also use the phone when treating other illnesses.
The core of the epidemic prevention and control strategies by the Japanese government is to avoid the exhaustion and collapse of medical resources.
Impact
Impact
Tokyo Olympics is postponed to 2021
Tokyo Olympics is postponed to 2021
On March 24, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that because of the coronavirus crisis, the Tokyo Olympics will not be held as scheduled, but officially postponed to the summer of 2021. Delays to the Tokyo Olympics cost the Japanese economy $6 billion.
Image source: Times of India
Tourism industry has taken a hit
Tourism industry has taken a hit
The Japanese tourism industry has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, with a significant drop in foreign visitors. The retail and entertainment sectors are also feeling the pinch.
Image source: Private Equity International
Limited response to coronavirus
Limited response to coronavirus
The Japanese government has neither conducted mass testing of the population nor imposed a mandatory lockdown, but has issued warnings and calls for voluntary home quarantine. Many Japanese continue to work and enjoy the cherry blossoms in March.
Image source: Gulf NewsMedicine
Medicine
Remdesivir
Remdesivir
Remdesivir was originally developed as a possible treatment for Ebola. The drug was approved for the treatment of coronavirus in Japan after it was authorized for emergency use by patients in the United States.
Image source: Daily Mail
Favipiravir/Avigan
Favipiravir/Avigan
Favipiravir was developed by a subsidiary of Japan's Fujifilm Holdings. The Japanese government announced that it would provide the drug free of charge to countries needing treatment for the coronavirus on April 3. It has been approved for experimental and clinical trials in China, Italy, Japan and the United States for the treatment of coronavirus patients.
Image source: WiredPage updated
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