The death toll from coronavirus rises to 1,670 in China . Taiwan announced today the first victim caused by the new coronavirus: it is, reports the Global Times, of a 61-year-old man who also suffered from diabetes and hepatitis B. There have been five people who have died outside China so far: besides Taiwan, in France, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan. The confirmed cases of contagion are 69,266. An American citizen was infected on the Westerdam ship in Cambodia. Another 70 cases of positivity on the Diamond Princess cruise ship stopped in quarantine in Japan, while the end of the nightmare for the 35 Italians on board is approaching . Meanwhile, 17-year-old Niccolò returned to Italy yesterday and was stuck in Wuhan due to a fever: the test carried out at Spallanzani was negative.
Today the phone call from Minister Speranza to the boy: 'It's peaceful'
Meanwhile, also this morning the task force on Covid-19 of the Ministry of Health met, in the presence of the minister, Roberto Speranza, providing a new updated budget: There are over 1 million and 200 thousand passengers whose temperature was controlled by the start of coronavirus screening at airports; over 54 thousand passengers and 20 thousand crew members checked by ships and over 3300 doctors, nurses and volunteers involved in checks. The table examined the numbers reported by the Civil Protection of the checks carried out so far in Italian ports and airports.
"We proceeded with a careful assessment of the situation internationally - said Deputy Minister of Health, Pierpaolo Sileri , at the end of today's meeting - the stability of the phenomenon in the territory of the European Union has emerged. Let's not let our guard down". "Italy was the first to implement suitable measures to stem the infection with Coronavirus - underlines Sileri in a note -. The tight airport controls are providing important data that allow us to proceed with a 360-degree monitoring". "Checks and checks also on the situation of the Diamond Princess, where 35 of our compatriots are present. Soon - he confirms - a flight will leave for them too".
Happy Sunday everyone.
Coronavirus task force meeting started. pic.twitter.com/2ELwcf8OcV
AMERICAN COUNTED ON WESTERDAM - An 83-year-old American who is on board the MS Westerdam cruise ship, who arrived in Cambodia after refusing other countries, was found positive for the coronavirus test. There are over 2,200 people on the ship. The first tests carried out on about thirty passengers had failed.
THE DIAMOND PRINCESS SHIP VIDEND - Another 70 people, a total of 355, are coronavirus positive on the Diamond Princess cruise ship stopped in quarantine in Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Health announced today. "So far we have conducted tests on 1,219 people: 355 have tested positive, including 73 without symptoms," said Minister Katsunobu Kato on the public broadcaster NHK. The Diamond Princess has been quarantined since February 5 in the port of Yokohama, near Tokyo. "Based on the high number of COVID-19 cases identified on board, the Department of Health has assessed that passengers and crew members are at high risk of exposure," said the American embassy in a letter to the passengers.
"After bringing Niccolò back to his family, we immediately went to work for the 35 Italians stranded on the cruise ship Diamond Princess, in Japan. Today I can tell you that a flight will leave for them too , we decided it yesterday together with the extraordinary commissioner, Angelo Borrelli, and the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza. This is the Italy that never leaves its compatriots alone. We are Italians, nobody has to stay behind, the state is there and it will not be missing. " Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio writes on Facebook.
A 14-day quarantine observation period will also be provided for the 35 Italians currently on board the ship to return to Italy. The task force of the Ministry of Health is evaluating, with the other institutions involved, the most suitable structure to accommodate the 35 compatriots: among the candidates, Cecchignola, already used for the Italians who have returned from Wuhan, if the technical times of the return will allow it .
THE SITUATION IN FRANCE - End of quarantine today in France for a group of 122 people who had been evacuated from Wuhan, China, two weeks ago. This involved 44 people who had been housed in a holiday center in Carry-le-Rouet and 78 other people who spent the 14-day quarantine period at a firefighter training center in nearby Aix-en-Provence, in about 30 km from Marseille. As early as Friday, 181 people had left the Carry-le-Rouet holiday center. Another 35 people who arrived via London on 9 February will remain confined until 23 February in Aix-en-Provence.
Niccolo 'lands in Italy, Di Maio: "Promise kept to parents"