Japanese tour bus worker who recovered from coronavirus tests positive for it AGAIN

Japanese tour bus worker who recovered from coronavirus tests positive for it AGAIN

  • Female tour guide maybe first person to catch the virus after being cleared
  • The 40-year-old woman was working in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak
  • Government officials in Osaka believe this is the first incident of this type

A woman working as a tour guide in Japan has twice tested positive for coronavirus in what is believed to be the first such case.

The 40-year-old was working on a tour bus with visitors from Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, in January.  

She was first confirmed as infected with the coronavirus on January 29.

After being discharged from hospital she tested negative for the virus on February 6, although she still had a cough at the time.

A female pedestrian crosses a busy road in Japan beneath banners promoting the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Concerns the competition may have to be cancelled are spreading as infected cases continue to rise

She had no symptoms a week later, but returned to the doctor on February 21 complaining of a sore throat and chest pains.

On Wednesday, she tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time, officials in Osaka said.

 The driver of the tour bus also tested positive for the virus.

At least 186 people in Japan have so far contracted the virus, with three deaths in the country linked to the outbreak.

Almost 700 people have been diagnosed with the virus on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined off Japan, including passengers who were allowed to leave the boat after testing negative, with 45 now showing symptoms.

There have been four deaths linked to the virus from the ship.

The government has come under pressure for a relatively hands-off approach to the virus, but on Thursday the Osaka prefectural government said it would expand screening of patients to a broader group than currently stipulated by central guidelines.

“We will make sure that people who should be tested, get tested, and will avoid a worst-case scenario by preventing these people from developing symptoms and serious conditions,” Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE CORONAVIRUS? 

  • The signs of COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus, are often mild and are very similar to a cold, flu or chest infection.
  • Typical symptoms of infection include a fever, a cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
  • These are common complaints at this time of year, so where someone has travelled or who they have come into contact with are important in determining whether they might have coronavirus.
  • The NHS considers people to be at risk if they have the symptoms above and have recently travelled to mainland China, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, or the north of Italy (north of Pisa and Florence).
  • People who have, in the past two weeks, been to the Hubei province of China, Iran, the South Korean cities of Daegu or Cheongdo in South Korea, or one of 11 quarantined towns in northern Italy are considered to be at risk even if they feel well.
  • The 11 towns in Italy are Codogno, Castiglione d’Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo, San Fiorano and Vo’ Euganeo.
  • Those who have come into contact with others who have visited those places and then feel ill may also be at risk.
  • People who fit any of the categories above should stay at home and self-isolate, away from other people, and phone NHS 111 for more advice. If you think you have the coronavirus do not go to a doctor’s surgery or hospital.
  • The virus can spread through coughing, sneezing, or by being close to someone for prolonged periods of time.
  • To protect themselves, people should cough and sneeze into a tissue and throw it away, wash their hands and avoid contact with sick people.

Source: NHS 

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