Prof. Kentaro Iwata of Kobe University, who boarded the Diamond Princess on Feb. 18, posted video statements in Japanese and English on YouTube, saying that the ship had not taken necessary measures to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from spreading. In the Japanese version of the video, he introduced these comments as his "personal view."
Iwata, who specializes in fighting infectious diseases, has conducted research on and treated cases of SARS and Ebola. The video explains that he was on board the ship as a member of a disaster medical assistance team, or DMAT.
"There were many ways to prevent infection on board, but I felt that basic measures had not been taken. I thought it necessary to understand the risks and disclose information, so I released a video," Iwata told The Yomiuri Shimbun.
The English version of his video is titled "Diamond Princess is COVID-19 mill. How I got in the ship and was removed from it within one day." It can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
