Cincunri Sakia

Jumat, 03 April 2020

U.S. sounds alarm on coronavirus in Japan, Tokyo pushes for state of emergency - Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday sounded alarm about the surge in coronavirus cases in Japan, adding to a chorus of prominent domestic voices - including the governor of Tokyo - who have called for decisive action to avoid an explosive outbreak.

A man wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks at Ginza shopping and amusement district in Tokyo, Japan April 2, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Amid growing clamour for tighter curbs on people’s movements to stem a rising tide of infections, the government has so far been reluctant to pull the trigger, warning of the heavy damage that could ensue in the world’s third-biggest economy, already close to recession.

Instead, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has urged school closures and called on citizens to avoid unnecessary and non-urgent gatherings and outings while preparing to roll out an economic stimulus plan next week - even as he acknowledged the country was barely avoiding a major jump in infections.

But the warning from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to American citizens on Friday singled out Japan’s lack of widespread testing so far and gave a sobering assessment of the potential strain on the health care system in a widespread outbreak.

“The Japanese Government’s decision to not test broadly makes it difficult to accurately assess the COVID-19 prevalence rate,” the Embassy said on its website, referring to the illness caused by the virus.

“While we have confidence in Japan’s health care system today, we believe a significant increase in COVID-19 cases makes it difficult to predict how the system will be functioning in the coming weeks.”

If U.S. citizens wanted to return to the United States from Japan they should do so now, or risk remaining abroad for an “indefinite period”, it said.

Japan has so far been spared the kind of explosive surge seen in parts of Europe, the United States and elsewhere, with about 3,000 cases and some 73 deaths so far. Globally, coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million on Thursday, while deaths have topped 50,000.

‘STRONG MESSAGE’

The comments from the Embassy came after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said declaring a national state of coronavirus emergency would send a “strong message” that could help avoid an bigger outbreak, her most explicit nudge so far to the government.

That would give governors legal authority to ask people to stay home and businesses to close, but not to impose the kind of lockdowns seen in other countries. In most cases, there are no penalties for ignoring requests, although public compliance would likely increase with an emergency declaration.

Nobuhiko Okabe, director general of the Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health, said judging the timing for declaring a state of emergency was tough.

If issued too soon, it would have a big economic impact and have a serious effect on society, but if too late, the number of infected patients would rise, he said.

Tokyo has reported the highest number of infections in the country with nearly 800 infections - a tiny count compared with a core city population of nearly 14 million.

But experts are worried about the rise in the percentage of cases that can’t be traced. As of end-March, the health ministry had counted 26 clusters of infections nationwide.

‘LOCKDOWN’

Asked what further steps would be taken in the capital if central government declared a state of emergency, Governor Koike said a Tokyo-style “lockdown” would entail asking people to refrain from holding events and the same kinds of pleas she was already making to residents.

These include working from home where possible and avoiding outings to bars and nightclubs - advice many have yet to heed, although coffee chain Starbucks and clothing retailer Uniqlo joined a string of other businesses in saying they would shutter dozens of stores this weekend.

The government on Friday told the hardest-hit regions to save hospital beds for severely ill patients, while keeping others with milder or no symptoms at home or in hotels. Until now Japan has been hospitalising all coronavirus patients, regardless of whether they are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

But beds are filling up in Tokyo and threaten to elsewhere, experts said this week.

Koike said Tokyo, for its part, would send people with light or no symptoms - the majority of the 628 hospitalised with the coronavirus as of Thursday - home or to hotels.

The capital was working with the government to secure accommodations, she said, while Prime Minister Abe has said utilising facilities that had been set up for the Summer Olympic Games - now postponed by a year - was under consideration.

Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Linda Sieg, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Chris Gallagher and David Dolan; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Toby Chopra

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-04-03 16:44:07Z
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Coronavirus Ravages Ecuador’s Largest City - The Wall Street Journal

The coronavirus has overwhelmed hospitals and morgues in Ecuador's largest city, forcing people to leave bodies on the streets. WSJ’s Ryan Dube explains how Guayaquil offers a preview of what other vulnerable regions in Latin America may soon encounter. Photo: stringer/Reuters

Ryan Dube and

Ryan Dube

The Wall Street Journal

Biography
ryan.dube@wsj.com

José de Córdoba

Updated April 3, 2020 11:13 am ET

For four days, Gerardo Ibarra’s lifeless body lay in the living room of his home in Ecuador’s sweltering coastal city of Guayaquil, a new epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak that may have already claimed hundreds of lives there and is raising alarms about the spread of the deadly pathogen across Latin America.

Before he died last week, Mr. Ibarra’s family rushed him to a hospital after he developed trouble breathing, concerned he had the Covid-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus. A doctor turned him away, telling the family they didn’t have space for the 72-year-old retiree. After he died at home, the family couldn’t find anyone to pick up the corpse because emergency services and funeral homes were overwhelmed. So Mr. Ibarra’s corpse remained at home.

President Lenin Moreno said Thursday that although official statistics show about 100 people have died and 3,163 were infected with the virus, he was sure there were “tens of thousands of infected people and hundreds of lives cut short.” He added that in Guayaquil, a coastal city of 2.3 million, the number of bodies from pandemic victims being picked up every day had gone from 30 a few days ago to about 150 currently.

Men carry a sick man into a hospital in Guayaquil on April 1.
Photo: Agence France-Presse/Getty Image

In the surrounding lowland province of Guayas, whose capital is Guayaquil, the death count could reach as high as 3,500, Mr. Moreno said, leading officials to build a special cemetery to bury the dead. If that count is accurate, that means the outbreak in Ecuador surpasses any country in Latin America. Brazil so far has the highest count of confirmed cases at 8,066 with 327 dead.

The scenes in Guayaquil are from a horror movie. Families in the city wander from hospital to hospital carrying sick relatives. Private clinics are full and few are tested for the coronavirus, while some doctors stay home with infected relatives. With morgues full and residents fearful of contracting the virus, families have begun leaving the deceased outside their homes and on street corners.

“It’s a war zone,” said Enrique Boloña Gilbert, a doctor in a private hospital that is currently full with nearly 40 coronavirus patients.

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Experts warn that Latin American and other developing nations are especially vulnerable from the coronavirus due to poor public-health facilities and deep economic inequality, which makes it virtually impossible for impoverished people who depend on a daily wage to stay home to slow the virus’s spread.

“Ecuador could be a movie of what could happen in other countries in the region,” said Pablo Arosemena, a prominent businessman who is president of Guayaquil’s business chamber. “The impact of the coronavirus has been five times stronger than an earthquake.”

Guayaquil Mayor Cynthia Viteri, who tested positive for the virus, said in a video news conference Thursday that the illness has exploded in her city during school vacations that have been extended through Easter. The virus, she said, entered with residents returning in February and March from vacations in Europe, including the first known case, a 70-year-old woman who traveled from Spain and has since died.

About 70% of Ecuador’s coronavirus cases are in Guayas, according to health officials. The province has more cases than the total amount in most other Latin American countries.

Desperate videos have circulated on social media, including one of what appears to be a corpse wrapped in a sheet being burned on a Guayaquil street. The Wall Street Journal couldn’t verify the video’s authenticity, and Mr. Moreno said many are fake.

Relatives of a deceased person mourn outside a cemetery in Guayaquil on April 1.
Photo: marcos pin/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

The coronavirus spread rapidly in Guayaquil as authorities say people didn’t stay home despite a government-ordered quarantine. Local officials held meetings in person, rather than virtually, infecting numerous local authorities, said Tathiana Moreno, who is leading the Red Cross’s response to the coronavirus in Ecuador. Other people continued to go to parties, she added. A lack of running water in poor communities, which makes washing hands difficult, is exacerbating the problem.

The virus hit Ecuador at a particularly vulnerable moment. Six months ago the Andean nation was in the throes of violent protests against the economic austerity measures implemented by the government as part of a $4.2 billion loan program with the International Monetary Fund. But while street demonstrations have faded, the pandemic has cornered the government once again into making tough decisions whether to spend limited resources on debt payments to foreign creditors or for an underfunded health system.

In Guayaquil, Mayor Viteri said she is diverting $10 million that had been earmarked for the city’s bicentennial festivities for health-care services. She said her office has purchased four 40-foot containers with refrigeration units, which it plans to place in front of hospitals for people to leave the dead.

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“They now have a place to take the cadavers,” Ms. Viteri said, “because the morgues have collapsed.”

A million dollars have already been spent on 25,000 new test kits set to be delivered from the U.K. next week, Ms. Viteri said. She added she’s also looking for a plot of land in Guayaquil for families to bury their dead.

That is little comfort for the family of Gerardo Ibarra. After health officials covered in white gowns picked up his corpse, Mr. Ibarra’s son, Victor, hauled out the family sofa to the street to burn, fearing it was contaminated. He later called fumigators to spray the house, concerned for his elderly mother. Now, he doesn’t expect to ever bury his father, believing his corpse will be lost among the many other bodies.

“There are a lot of dead,” he said. “We have to think of this like a combat, like my father died in battle and we are never going to see him again.”

—Kejal Vyas contributed to this article.

Write to Ryan Dube at ryan.dube@dowjones.com and José de Córdoba at jose.decordoba@wsj.com

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2020-04-03 15:19:55Z
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U.S. sounds alarm on coronavirus in Japan, Tokyo pushes for state of emergency - Reuters

A man wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks at Ginza shopping and amusement district in Tokyo, Japan April 2, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

If U.S. citizens wanted to return to the United States from Japan they should do so now, or risk remaining abroad for an “indefinite period”, it said.

‘STRONG MESSAGE’

Nobuhiko Okabe, director general of the Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health, said judging the timing for declaring a state of emergency was tough.

If issued too soon, it would have a big economic impact and have a serious effect on society, but if too late, the number of infected patients would rise, he said.

Tokyo has reported the highest number of infections in the country with nearly 800 infections - a tiny count compared with a core city population of nearly 14 million.

But experts are worried about the rise in the percentage of cases that can’t be traced. As of end-March, the health ministry had counted 26 clusters of infections nationwide.

‘LOCKDOWN’

But beds are filling up in Tokyo and threaten to elsewhere, experts said this week.

Koike said Tokyo, for its part, would send people with light or no symptoms - the majority of the 628 hospitalised with the coronavirus as of Thursday - home or to hotels.

Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Linda Sieg, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Chris Gallagher and David Dolan; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Toby Chopra

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-04-03 16:20:13Z
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U.S. sounds alarm on coronavirus in Japan, Tokyo pushes for state of emergency - Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government said on Friday it has told regions that have suffered the most serious outbreaks of coronavirus to save hospitals beds for severely ill patients, while keeping others with milder or no symptoms at home or in hotels.

A man wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks at Ginza shopping and amusement district in Tokyo, Japan April 2, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

The move, the latest sign of concern about the growing strain on Japan’s healthcare system, came as one of the country’s most prominent entrepreneurs, internet billionaire Hiroshi Mikitani, joined the chorus of calls on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency as new cases of infection multiply.

Until now Japan has been hospitalising all coronavirus patients, regardless of whether they are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. But beds are already filling up in Tokyo and threaten to elsewhere, experts said this week.

Japan has so far been spared the kind of explosive surge seen in parts of Europe, the United States and elsewhere, with nearly 2,800 cases and 73 deaths so far. Globally, coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million on Thursday, while deaths have topped 50,000.

Tokyo itself has reported the highest number of infections in the country with 684 infections - a tiny count compared with a core city population of nearly 14 million, but experts are worried about the rise in the percentage of cases that can’t be traced.

Kyodo reported on Friday that several people who attended a live music event in central Tokyo’s Shibuya district, on March 20, including a performer, had tested positive. As of the end of March, the health ministry had counted 26 clusters of infections of five people or more around the country, according to public broadcaster NHK.

After a week dominated by tension in the capital over whether and when the government might declare a state of emergency, businessman Mikitani, CEO of e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc, resorted to Twitter on Friday to post that he and Masayoshi Son, founder of the tech giant SoftBank Group, had shared the view in a phone conversation that Japan was in “an extremely critical situation”.

“How can you say this is not an emergency situation? Mr Abe, please declare a state of emergency right now!”, Mikitani said in a tweet.

Meanwhile Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Thursday the metropolis would prioritise saving the lives of those in serious condition and ask people to stay at home. She said Tokyo was working with the government to secure accommodations for infected people living with families.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that utilising facilities that had been set up for the Summer Olympic Games - now postponed by a year - was under consideration.

Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Kiyoshi Takenaka and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-04-03 14:49:54Z
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Coronavirus: Boris Johnson stays isolated with mild symptoms - BBC News

Boris Johnson will carry on self-isolating after continuing to display mild symptoms of the coronavirus including having a temperature.

The prime minister tested positive for the virus last Friday and had been due to come out of self-isolation today.

Mr Johnson continues to work from home and chaired a coronavirus meeting on Friday morning.

He was seen on Thursday applauding the NHS and other key workers from his flat in Downing Street.

Speaking in a video posted on Twitter, Mr Johnson said: "Although I am feeling better and I've done my seven days of isolation alas I still have one of the minor symptoms.

"I still have a temperature. So in accordance with government advice I must continue my self isolation until that symptom itself goes.

"But we're working clearly the whole time on our programme to beat the virus."

He also added with expected good weather over the weekend that people may be tempted to ignore the advice and spend more time outside.

"I just urge you not do do that," he said. "Please, please stick with the guidance."

He added: "This country has made a huge effort, a huge sacrifice and done absolutely brilliantly well in delaying the spread of the virus.

"Let's stick with it now and remember that incredible clapping last night for our fantastic NHS. We are doing it to protect them and save lives."

It's been more than a week since the prime minister stood at the podium in Downing Street to deliver the daily coronavirus briefing.

Since announcing he'd tested positive for the virus seven days ago his public appearances have been limited to video clips filmed on his phone from inside his flat, above 11 Downing Street.

He did venture on to the doorstep of No 11 last night to join the national clap for keyworkers and NHS staff - picked up by TV cameras notably stood some distance away.

In his latest self-shot message, he said he was still showing mild symptoms of the virus and would therefore stay in isolation until they passed.

And in a direct plea to the public, he urged people to stick to social distancing guidelines this weekend.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock had also tested positive for the virus and returned from self-isolation on Thursday, to host the daily Downing Street news conference.

The prime minister's spokesman said Mr Johnson was following official guidance which states that you should continue to self-isolate if a temperature persists beyond the advised seven days.

He said he was not aware of any more cabinet members who had been infected.

Mr Johnson spokesman said the PM was continuing to work with Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, who has also tested positive for the virus. It is not known if Mr Whitty is still in isolation.

Mr Hancock has said the government has "a huge amount of work to do" to meet its target 100,000 coronavirus tests a day, announced at Thursday's news conference.

He said he was not relying on new antibody blood tests to meet the goal, which was announced after criticism of the UK's testing strategy.

"It's got to happen. I've got a plan to get us there, I've set it as a goal and it's what the nation needs," he said.

Labour has called for more details on what kind of tests will be involved.

It came as the Prince of Wales officially opened London's new 4,000 bed NHS Nightingale Hospital via a video link from his Scottish home.

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2020-04-03 12:15:50Z
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Coronavirus: Boris Johnson stays isolated with mild symptoms - BBC News

Boris Johnson will carry on self-isolating after continuing to display mild symptoms of the coronavirus including having a temperature.

The prime minister tested positive for the virus last Friday and had been due to come out of self-isolation today.

Mr Johnson continues to work from home and chaired a coronavirus meeting on Friday morning.

He was seen on Thursday applauding the NHS and other key workers from his flat in Downing Street.

Speaking in a video posted on Twitter, Mr Johnson said: "Although I am feeling better and I've done my seven days of isolation alas I still have one of the minor symptoms.

"I still have a temperature. So in accordance with government advice I must continue my self isolation until that symptom itself goes.

"But we're working clearly the whole time on our programme to beat the virus."

Hancock: 'Huge work' to achieve virus test goal