3 Cases Confirmed In Evacuees From Wuhan
Japan's Health Ministry says three evacuees have tested positive for the coronavirus, a day after returning to Tokyo.
More than 200 passengers were on their government-chartered flight on Wednesday. All were sent to medical institutions to undergo tests. The ministry says two of the infected patients had no symptoms. It's the first time in Japan the virus has been detected in people without symptoms.
The prime minister also says two of the evacuees didn't give their consent for the health check.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, "The procedure was not legally binding. Unfortunately, they did not agree to be tested. We could not force them, as it is also a human rights issue."
On Tuesday, the government gave the illness special designations -- meaning people can be told to undergo medical tests and be hospitalized without their consent. But those measures will not come into effect until February 7.
A second plane carrying 210 Japanese nationals from the virus-hit city touched down at Haneda Airport on Thursday morning. Thirteen with symptoms were hospitalized.
Tokyo plans to charter more flights to bring back another 300 people who want to return to Japan.
The number of confirmed infections now stands at 11 in Japan. Several of them involve human-to-human transmission.
Two patients are a driver and a guide who were on tour buses with visitors from Wuhan.
