• February 27, 2020
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Japanese patient tests positive for COVID-19 once again after recovery

Weeks after initial recovery, a Japanese woman has tested positive for COVID-19 once again. The second positive test is the first of its kind in Japan, although there are a few similar cases that had been reported in China.

The woman, an Osaka resident who works as a tour bus guide, was discharged from the hospital on 1 February after an initial recovery. She developed a sore throat and experienced chest pains on Wednesday, 26 February, prompting the authorities to test and treat her again.

As of press time, Japan has reported a total of 186 cases of COVID-19 – marking an increase from yesterday’s count of 170. This figure excludes the 704 other cases on the cruise liner Diamond Princess, which remains quarantined off Tokyo. Japan has recorded seven fatalities, four of which happened on the ship.

The second positive test case comes on the heels of mounting criticism toward the government’s cautious approach in testing for and containing the coronavirus outbreak. Government guidelines instruct people to call designated hotlines for recommendation on testing if they have experienced a fever of 37.5 Celsius or higher, cold-like symptoms, breathing problems or extreme fatigue for at least four days. Prior to that, people who feel unwell are advised to stay home.

The guidelines have caused some confusion in many hospitals, resulting in some medical staff turning away people who suspect they are infected with COVID-19. The health ministry has limited the eligibility for testing to two groups of people: one, those who have come into contact with patients who are confirmed to be infected with the virus; and two, those who have travelled to China and have pneumonia-like symptoms that require hospitalisation.

Japan’s health ministry has defended the government’s attitude toward the outbreak, saying that testing everyone who wanted to be tested would overwhelm the country’s medical facilities and make it more difficult to treat those who need immediate medical attention.