Work on a cruise ship Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Many return to work without virus testing
On a cruise ship where outbreaks of the new coronavirus were confirmed, it was found that many employees of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare had returned to work without being tested for viruses after finishing work on board. Experts have pointed out that "since some infected personnel are on board, it may be necessary to reconsider the inspection of staff."
To date, 634 crew members and passengers have been infected on the cruise ship Diamond Princess, and four national officials, including the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, who have been engaged in clerical work on board the ship.
So far, at least 90 employees of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare have been on board the cruise ship, but many of the employees who did not have symptoms such as fever returned to work without receiving a virus test after finishing work on the ship I was told in the interview to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The two staff members who were confirmed to be infected were being tested for fever and other symptoms during work on board.
On the other hand, according to the Cabinet Secretariat, at accommodations where people who return from China and Hubei Province by charter aircraft stay, many staff members of the Cabinet Office who responded have been tested for viruses.
Regarding the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's response, Specially Appointed Professor Mitsuo Kaku of Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, who is familiar with infectious disease countermeasures, said, `` I think that we are doing enough infectious disease control on site, but infection has been confirmed by staff working onboard. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the inspection method of the staff, and after the disembarkation, a mechanism to protect the staff and the workplace by working from home for a certain period of time is also necessary. "
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that no infection had been confirmed in the staff who returned to the workplace, and said, "We are conducting a virus test on staff if they have fever or respiratory symptoms. I can't comment on whether to review it. "