Japanese Infection Expert Criticizes Government: "Cruise Ship Situation Is Miserable" with 621 COVID-19 Cases

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] A Japanese infectious disease expert criticized the government's inadequate response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) outbreak spreading on the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess' as "tragic."

Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University Hospital and a member of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) dispatched by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, who boarded the Diamond Princess, revealed this in a video uploaded on YouTube on the night of the 18th, saying, "I felt scared inside."

He introduced himself as an expert who has fought infectious diseases such as Ebola in Africa and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in China for over 20 years, then confessed, "Even when I was in Africa or China, I never felt fear of infection, but on the Diamond Princess, I thought, 'If I get infected with COVID-19, it might be inevitable.'"

In particular, he pointed out that the situation where even medical staff were engulfed by fear of infection was due to the Japanese authorities' irrational infection control measures. He said, "In the (dangerous) red zone, it is a rule to wear protective suits and clearly distinguish it from the green zone to protect yourself from the virus," adding, "On the Diamond Princess, there was no clear distinction between where was dangerous and where was not."

The video has caused a stir in Japan. As of 4 p.m. that day, the number of views exceeded 770,000. At a regular briefing that day, Yoshihide Suga, the Chief Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson for the Japanese government, said regarding Professor Iwata's criticism, "I believe the government's response to prevent the spread of infection on the cruise ship has been appropriate as explained so far."

On the 19th, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that 79 COVID-19 infected cases were confirmed on the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess' docked at Yokohama Port, Japan. The total number of infected cases has increased to 621.