Japan's decision of two-week quarantine for South Korean visitors hasn't gone down well with the South Korean establishment. "While our country is sternly dealing with Covid-19 under its scientific and transparent quarantine system that is highly evaluated by the rest of the world, Japan is losing its faith from the international community because of its ambiguous and passive quarantine efforts," Cheong Wa Dae, official residence of South Korean President, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Canada becomes the latest country to report a case of community transmission of Covid-19, involving a British Colombia woman, with no travel history abroad, or contact with an infected person.
South Korea-Japan feud over Covid-19
South Korea has described Japan's decision to place South Korean visitors to a two-weeks quarantine, as "unreasonable and excessive," BBC reported. Japan, however, described its decision as the result of a "comprehensive review".
South Korea is now contemplating a tit-for-tat move with its National Security Council saying it would "explore countermeasures based on principles of reciprocity". Not only from the South, but Japan has also received global backlash regarding its handling of the coronavirus epidemic, especially the issue of Diamond Princess Cruise ship. The ship was docked off the coast of Tokyo for days, with its passengers stranded, becoming more susceptible to coronavirus infection. 706 of its passengers got infected, six of whom died of Covid-19.
Outside China, South Korea is the country with the largest number of coronavirus cases. As on Friday, March 6, it has reported 6,284 cases and 42 fatalities.
Canada reports the first case of community transfer
A British Columbia woman, in her 50s, has emerged as Canada's first case of community infection of coronavirus, South China Morning Post reported. Community infection occurs when a patient with no travel to a disease-affected region, or with no contact with an infected person, contracts the disease.
Canadian state of British Columbia borders USA's Washington state that has reported 70 coronavirus cases, along with 11 fatalities. Canada itself has reported 45 cases and zero fatalities.
Hubei reports no coronavirus cases, outside Wuhan
On Friday, China's central Hubei province, that served as the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak, reported 126 new cases--all in capital Wuhan, where the disease first originated. Hence, for the first time, no cases were reported in Hubei, other than in capital Wuhan. 29 fatalities were reported in Hubei, 23 of which occurred in the provincial capital, South China Morning Post reported. Overall, 143 new cases and 30 new deaths were reported in the Chinese mainland, on Friday, bringing the total tally to 80,552 cases and 3,042 deaths.
