Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection among Returnees to Japan from Wuhan, China, 2020

Abstract

W ith the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, several countries, including Japan, repatriated their nationals (1-3). During January 29-31, 2020, a total of 566 Japanese nationals were repatriated via 3 chartered flights from Wuhan (206, 210, and 150 passengers). After passengers disembarked in Tokyo, Japan, quarantine officials assessed them for signs/symptoms (e.g., fever, respiratory illness) of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (4). A total of 28 symptomatic passengers were transferred to select hospitals for isolation. The remaining 538 were transported to a designated hospital, where another 35 were found to be symptomatic and were hospitalized there or transferred to other hospitals, leaving 503 asymptomatic persons for observation in quarantine (Figure).