[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eun-byeol] A COVID-19 infection has been confirmed in Okinawa, Japan, a port of call for the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' where a large number of COVID-19 cases were identified. In addition, infections with unknown transmission routes are spreading domestically in Japan, including Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Wakayama, increasing anxiety within the country.
According to NHK, Okinawa Prefecture announced that a woman in her 60s working as a taxi driver was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. It is presumed that the virus spread when the cruise ship, currently docked at Yokohama Port, stayed for nine hours on March 1 at Naha Port in Okinawa Prefecture, where a cluster infection was confirmed.
At that time, among approximately 2,700 passengers on the cruise ship, many disembarked and toured the city using buses or taxis before returning to the ship. NHK reported, "The taxi driver in Okinawa who tested positive for COVID-19 likely had contact with passengers when the Diamond Princess called at the port." This is the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the region.
Meanwhile, Japan reported its first COVID-19-related death in Tokyo the previous day. The deceased was a woman in her 80s who began showing symptoms on February 22 and was diagnosed with pneumonia on March 1. However, the hospital only identified her COVID-19 infection after her death.
The woman's son-in-law, a taxi driver in his 70s, was also infected with COVID-19, and a doctor in his 50s in Wakayama, about 550 km from Tokyo, was confirmed to be infected as well.
Additionally, new infections have been reported in Hokkaido and among passengers who returned to Japan from Wuhan, China, via charter flights. However, as it is difficult to identify clear transmission routes, concerns about community spread are growing within Japan.
NHK reported that the Japanese government plans to hold a task force meeting to discuss countermeasures.
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