‘Chaotic’ cruise ship quarantine was ‘a major failure’, expert says


‘Chaotic’ cruise ship quarantine was ‘a major failure, completely inadequate and a mistake’ says disease expert who has now isolated himself after seeing conditions on board

  • Kentaro Iwata said conditions on Diamond Princess were ‘completely chaotic’
  • The infectious diseases expert is one of many scientists to slam the quarantine
  • He said he had placed himself in a 14-day quarantine to avoid infecting his family

A Japanese disease expert has branded the Diamond Princess quarantine a ‘major failure’, ‘completely inadequate’ and a ‘mistake’. 

Kentaro Iwata said he had placed himself in a 14-day quarantine for fear of infecting his family after a brief visit on board the ship yesterday. 

The Kobe University infectious diseases expert said conditions on the ship were ‘completely chaotic’ and violated quarantine rules. 

His video has racked up more than a million views amid a barrage of criticism of Japanese authorities after 542 people were infected during the lockdown. 

A bus leaves the Diamond Princess today after more than 500 people were infected during a two-week lockdown, sparking fierce criticism from disease experts

A bus leaves the Diamond Princess today after more than 500 people were infected during a two-week lockdown, sparking fierce criticism from disease experts 

‘The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of infection control,’ said Iwata in videos which he posted in English and Japanese last night. 

‘There was no distinction between the green zone, which is free of infection, and the red zone, which is potentially contaminated by the virus.

‘I was in Africa dealing with the Ebola outbreak. I was in other countries dealing with the cholera outbreak. I was in China in 2003 to deal with SARS… I never had fear of getting infection myself.

‘But inside Diamond Princess, I was so scared… because there was no way to tell where the virus is.’ 

Mr Iwata said he had boarded the ship because he ‘wanted to be useful in helping’ to contain the virus. 

His criticism has made waves in a country where unvarnished criticism is rare in officialdom and academia. 

But Japanese officials defended their approach, insisting that many of the infections took place before the quarantine began. 

Disease expert Kentaro Iwata (pictured) said he had placed himself in a 14-day quarantine for fear of infecting his family after a brief visit on board the ship yesterday

Disease expert Kentaro Iwata (pictured) said he had placed himself in a 14-day quarantine for fear of infecting his family after a brief visit on board the ship yesterday

Disease expert Kentaro Iwata (pictured) said he had placed himself in a 14-day quarantine for fear of infecting his family after a brief visit on board the ship yesterday

A passenger wearing a face mask drags two items of luggage with him after leaving the Diamond Princess in Japan today

A passenger wearing a face mask drags two items of luggage with him after leaving the Diamond Princess in Japan today

A passenger wearing a face mask drags two items of luggage with him after leaving the Diamond Princess in Japan today 

Shigeru Omi, a former WHO regional head advising the government, said the quarantine had ‘a very positive effect’ on reducing infections. 

‘(The) majority of the infections, we believe, occurred before the date when the quarantine measures started,’ he told reporters. 

That does not appear to have convinced foreign governments, many of whom have lost patience with Japan and airlifted their citizens out.  

Japan’s health Minister Katsunobu Kato has also defended the government’s approach.

‘Expert doctors who are members of an infection prevention team are supervising inside the ship,’ he said in response to questions from opposition lawmakers.

‘If symptoms develop, of course not only that person but also those who had close contact with the person are told to refrain from serving, and workers follow rules such as wearing masks and putting on gloves,’ he added.

‘According to experts, the infection is under control.’  

Michael Ryan, head of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, acknowledged there ‘has been much more transmission than expected on the ship’.

But, he added, ‘it is very easy in retrospect to make judgements on public health decisions made at a certain point’.