Government: "Taking Japan's COVID-19 Situation Seriously... Cautious About Contaminated Areas"

Kim Kang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The government emphasized that it is "taking the situation seriously" as it suspects community transmission in the case of deaths caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Japan. However, it expressed a cautious stance, stating that additional observation is needed regarding the designation of contaminated areas.

Kim Kang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a regular briefing on the 15th, "We are carefully monitoring the trends in countries and regions where confirmed cases have occurred," adding, "Based on the confirmed case information provided by each country according to the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations, and through our diplomatic missions abroad, we are comprehensively classifying and assessing all available information in the shortest possible time."

Deputy Head Kim also stated, "One of the serious concerns is the occurrence of confirmed cases outside the quarantine network, in other words, cases where the infection route is very unclear," and added, "The fact that such cases are appearing in some countries suggests that community transmission is occurring. We are currently consulting with the Central Disease Control Headquarters on this matter."

A large number of COVID-19 patients confirmed on the Diamond Princess ship (EPA=Yonhap News)

Currently, in Japan, confirmed cases with unclear infection routes are emerging. Previously, an elderly person in their 80s with pneumonia and no history of overseas travel, including to China, died and was posthumously diagnosed with COVID-19. This suggests community transmission. The Japanese authorities have confirmed 259 COVID-19 patients so far. Among them, 218 infections were reported on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," which is docked at Yokohama Port in Japan.

Regarding the designation of Japan as a contaminated area, Deputy Head Kim said, "Cases occurring outside the cruise ship may also be considered as community transmission, so the government is carefully analyzing this aspect," but he refrained from making a definitive statement, saying, "Additional observation is still necessary." He emphasized, "Decisions on quarantine measures or supplementary actions will be evaluated and made with the safety of the public as the top priority."