Virus-hit cruise ship passengers disembark in Japan after two-week quarantine
February 19, 2020, 11:05 am

Virus-hit cruise ship passengers disembark in Japan after two-week quarantine

Passengers walk out from the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama. (Reuters)

Passengers on the virus-hit cruise ship moored near Tokyo began disembarking on Wednesday, television footage showed, after a controversial two-week quarantine that saw more than 500 people infected with the new coronavirus originating in China.

The Diamond Princess, operated by Carnival Corp, has been quarantined after arriving in the port of Yokohama on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.

More than 540 people have been infected with the virus on the liner, which originally carried some 3,700 passengers and crew. Many of those infected have already been transferred to hospitals. About half the passengers are Japanese.

Japan ranks second in the world after China in a number of the confirmed viruses due to the ship infections.

Japan has come under fire for its handling of the cruise ship quarantine, although top government officials have defended the quarantine and onboard testing operation.

“Unfortunately, cases of infection have emerged, but we have to the extent possible taken appropriate steps to prevent serious cases, including sending infected people to the hospital,” public broadcaster NHK quoted Health Minister Katsunobu Kato as telling a parliamentary panel.

Around 500 people were expected to disembark starting Wednesday, a health ministry official said, with the entire process completed by Friday.

NHK said that those who had roomed with passengers who tested positive would have to stay on the ship another 14 days from the time the infected roommate left.

Crew members, who have been sharing rooms, would move to separate rooms and undergo health checks, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

The United States evacuated more than 300 nationals on Monday on two chartered flights and six South Koreans and one Japanese spouse flew to South Korea on Wednesday morning on a chartered flight.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday there were 220 Australians on board and that a total of 169 would be evacuated. Those evacuated will be flown to Darwin, where they will be quarantined for 14 days.

An Australian passenger said Australians had been told they would be pre-screened starting on Wednesday morning and taken to Tokyo’s Haneda airport in the evening for an expected departure early Thursday.

“They told us to pack warm weather clothes for the two weeks in Darwin but who will have that after a cruise in the Japanese winter,” passenger Vicki Presland told Reuters.

A captain’s announcement on the liner said that Hong Kong passengers would also be evacuated over the next 24 hours and that according to information received, a Canadian charter flight would arrive on Friday morning.

Italy, Israel, Britain, and Taiwan were also preparing to evacuate their nationals, said Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

Besides those on the cruise liner and returnees brought home from China’s Wuhan city, the epicenter of the epidemic, about 60 cases of domestic infections have been confirmed in Japan, including 22 in Tokyo, NHK public broadcaster.

Amid worries about a contracting economy, the spread of the virus has prompted Tokyo to curb the size of public gatherings and some companies are telling employees to work from home.

The spread of the virus has also raised concerns about the outlook for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, set to start on July 24, although organizers have said there are no plans to cancel the Summer Games.

source: Reuters

Libya’s GNA halts participation in Geneva talks Iran supplying Taliban with missiles, says Afghan security official

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.