San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Virus outbreak hits U.S. troops in Japan
Dozens of U.S. Marines at two bases on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa have been infected with the coronavirus in what is feared to be a major outbreak, Okinawa’s governor said Saturday, demanding an explanation from the U.S. military.
Gov. Denny Tamaki could only say that a “few dozen” cases had been found because the U.S. military asked that the exact figure not be released. The outbreaks occurred at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Camp Hansen, Tamaki said.
Local media, citing unnamed sources, said about 60 people had been infected. “Okinawans are shocked by what we were told” by the U.S. military, Tamaki said. “We now have strong doubts that the U.S. military has taken adequate disease prevention measures.”
The Marines said in a statement without providing details that the troops were taking additional protective measures to limit the spread of the virus and were restricting offbase activities.
Okinawa is home to more than half of about 50,000 American troops based in Japan, and the residents are sensitive to U.S. baserelated problems. Many Okinawans have long complained about pollution, noise and crime related to U.S. bases.
INDIA
Record pace of infections
India’s coronavirus cases have passed 800,000 after the biggest spike of 27,114 cases in the past 24 hours, causing nearly a dozen states to impose partial shutdowns in highrisk areas. The new confirmed cases took the national total to 820,916, the third highest in the world after the U.S. and Brazil. The Health Ministry reported 519 deaths Saturday for a total of 22,123.
A surge in infections went from 600,000 to more than 800,000 in nine days.
AUSTRALIA
State seeks to confine spread
The beleaguered Australian state of Victoria received some good news
Saturday with health officials reporting 216 new cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, down from the record 288 the previous day.
Victoria has recorded 3,560 confirmed cases, and Australia overall has had more than 9,000 with 107 deaths.
Victoria, Australia’s second most populous state after neighboring New South Wales, has been cut off with border closures ordered by other states.
All states and territories except New South Wales had eradicated community transmission of the virus, but Victorialinked infections continue to spread.
Victoria hopes a second shutdown in Melbourne, Australia’s secondlargest city with a population of 5 million, will curb the spread. It was imposed Wednesday and will last six weeks.