Press Conference held by Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, KATO Katsunobu, Tuesday, March 19, 2020, 10:13 a.m. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

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Past Ministerial Conference

○Confirmed cases in Japan

○Confirmed cases in Japan

This shows the number of the novel coronavirus infectious cases reported in Japan on a map by prefecture. Date is confirmed date.
The number of patients on charter flight and cruise ship is not included.
https://mhlw-gis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/0c5d0502bbb54f9a8dddebca003631b8

○Confirmed cases outside Japan

Confirmed cases outside Japan(Mar.26)

 

1．The Basic Policies

On February 25, “Basic Policies for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control” decided by the Headquarters for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control. This policy summarizes the measures that are currently being taken and the perspectives of possible future measures to be taken to respond to future development.
Basic Policies for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control[151KB]
(Summary Version) Basic Policies for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control[103KB]

【Press Conference】Basic Policies for Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus

On March 2, Government Officials and Experts held a press conference on the case of the coronavirus at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Conducted by:
SAHARA Yasuyuki Senior Assistant Minister for Globel Health, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
SUZUKI Tadaki M.D., Ph.D. Director, Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases
OSUMI Yo Deputy Director-General/ Deputy Assistant Minister, Consular Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
KAMOSHIDA Naoaki Assistant Press Secretary/ Director, International Press Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
INATSU Toshinobu Immigration Services Agency/ Deputy Director, Border Management Division
NODA Hiroyuki M.D., Ph.D. Councilor, Coordination Office of Measures on Emerging Infectious Diseases Office for Pandemic Influenza and Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response, Cabinet Secretariat
Please refer to the YouTube video as follows;
YouTube video:Basic Policies for Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus

2.Understanding the situation of infection

By notification by physicians under the Infections Diseases Control Law, grasp suspected disease carrier and conduct examination if it is deemed necessary by physicians.
If carrier is confirmed, conduct active epidemiological investigation based on the law and identify those who have been in close contact with the infected person.
For those who have been in close contact with infected person, the measures for preventing from spreading infection are being conducted by requesting to monitor own health condition and to refrain from leaving residence, etc..

We decided to apply medical insurance to the PCR test (on March 6). This makes it possible for medical institutions to request directory to private laboratories without going through public health centers, and further utilization of the examination capabilities of private laboratories will be achieved.

【Press Conference】The case of the coronavirus

 

March 17,2020

On March 17, Government Officials held a press conference on the case of the coronavirus at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Please refer to the YouTube video and figures used in their explanation as follows:
YouTube video:Part1,Part2,Part3
Figures: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation in Japan[1,249KB]

【Press Conference】The case of the coronavirus

 

March 10,2020

YouTube video:Part1,Part2,Part3

On March 10, Government Officials held a press conference on the case of the coronavirus at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Please refer to the YouTube video and figures used in their explanation as follows;
YouTube video:Part1,Part2,Part3
Figure 1:COVID-19 Clusters in Japan[463KB]
Figure 2:Overview of the Act on Special Measures[416KB]
Figure 3:PCR Testing system[431KB]
Figure 4:Screenshot_COVID19Map_MHLW[1,848KB]
Figure 5:Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act[120KB]

３．Measures for preventing outbreaks

In Japan, sporadic cases of small numbers of patients have been observed.
At this stage, the spread of infection can be prevented by tracing the route of transmission, especially for close contacts.
The important thing is to minimize the spread of infection in the country by preventing one cluster of patients from creating another cluster.
Please refer to the handout below;
Preventing Outbreaks of the Novel Coronavirus [148KB]

The Expert Meeting on the Novel Coronavirus Disease Control released "Views on the Novel Coronavirus Disease Control" summarizing the results of the study based on the analysis of the Cluster Response Team of MHLW.
In the Views, Japanese situation as of today (March 9) is not moving toward an explosive spread of infections, and appears to be somewhat holding steady. In addition, regarding measures in Hokkaido, it is difficult to estimate the effect about at least two weeks after the declaration of state of emergency in Hokkaido, and thereafter, the analysis of the effects of this measures is scheduled to be announced around March 19.

"Views on the Novel Coronavirus Disease Control" (As of March 9) [217KB]

”Views Expert Meeting on the Novel Coronavirus Disease Control（As of March 19）"(PDF)

 

４．Border Control Measures

In order to prevent 2019-nCoV from entering Japan via foreign aircraft and ships and take necessary measures related to aircraft, etc., inthe Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare classifies 2019-nCoV infection as “Type of infectious disease of Quarantine law article 34”.
This means that government is able to take measures such as inquiry and medical consultation for people entering Japan from abroad, isolation and detention of patients, disinfection for aircrafts, etc.
Based on the epidemic of this infection in other countries, as a border control measure in Japan, for arriving flights and ships from some countries , take measures to reduce the risk of domestic secondary infections by interviewing for all passengers using questionnaires, calling for self-reports by displaying posters, distributing health cards.
In the meantime, foreigners who have stayed in some areas of some countries within 14 days will be refused entering Japan under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, with or without symptoms, unless there are special circumstances.

Anyone who has boarded an airplane or ships arriving from China or Republic of Korea at or after 0:00 on March 9 (JST), or from European countries, or Egypt at or after 0:00 on March 21 (JST), or from United States of America at or after 0:00 on March 26 (JST) , or from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Israel, Qatar, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Bahrain at or after 0:00 on March 28 (JST) and not be isolated or stopped is required to stay 14days at a location designated by the quarantine station chief and not to use public transportation in Japan.

Q&A

５．The Cruise ship

The infection control measures taken at the Cruise ship “Diamond Princess”（provisional translation）

The infection control measures taken at the Cruise ship “Diamond Princess”（provisional translation）
PDF［29KB］

 

On February 24, Experts held a press conference on the case of the novel coronavirus at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Conducted by:
Members of Expert Meeting on the Novel Coronavirus Disease
- OMI Shigeru,M.D.,Ph.D., President, Japan Community Health care Organization
- OHMAGARI Norio,M.D.,Ph.D., Director, Disease Control & Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
- KITA Yosuke, Senior Coordinator for Global Health Cooperation, International Affairs Division, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Please refer to the YouTube video clips and figures used in their explanation as follows;
YouTube video clips:Part1,Part2,Part3,Part4,Part5,Part6,Part7
Figure:Number of new symptomatic coronavirus infektion cases and fever reports,by date of onset,Cruise Ship DP,as of February 23,2020［68KB］

Press Conference on the Situation of the novel Coronavirus Disease in the Cruise Ship off the coast of Yokohama was held in the MOFA Press Conference Room from 20:40 to 21:40 on Friday 21 February 2020.
Professor, SUZUKI Motoi, M.D., MSc., PHDC, Ph.D., of Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Disease and Professor, NISHIURA Hiroshi, M.D., Ph.D., DTM&H, of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University explained the situation based on their analysis using the data obtained on the cruise ship.
Please refer to the YouTube video clips and figures used in their explanation as follows;
YouTube video clips:Part1,Part2,Part3,Part4
Figure 1: Changes in the number of new coronavirus infection cases and fever reports on the cruise ship (as of February 19) [374KB]
Figure 2: Number of COVID-19 cases with symptoms among the passengers on the Cruise ship (by close contact status, as of 02/19/2020) [412KB]
Figure 3: Number of predicted infections from one patient, by generation (Reproduction rate)[182KB]