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Dozens of U.S. Marines have been contaminated with the coronavirus at two bases on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa in what’s feared to be an enormous outbreak, Okinawan officers stated Saturday, demanding an sufficient clarification from the U.S. navy.
Okinawa prefectural officers stated they may say solely {that a} “few dozen” circumstances had been discovered just lately as a result of the U.S. navy requested that the precise determine not be launched. The outbreaks occurred at Marine Corps. Air Station Futenma, which is on the middle of a relocation dispute, and Camp Hansen, Okinawan officers stated.
Local media, citing unnamed sources, stated about 60 individuals had been contaminated.
“Okinawans are shocked by what we were told (by the U.S. military),” Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki instructed a information convention. He questioned illness prevention measures taken by the U.S. navy and renewed his demand for transparency concerning the most recent growth.
Okinawan officers requested the U.S. navy on Friday to offer the quantity of circumstances and different particulars in order to deal with rising issues amongst native residents, Tamaki stated.
The Marines stated in a press release Friday that the troops had been taking extra protecting measures to restrict the unfold of the coronavirus and had been limiting off-base actions. The assertion stated measures are “to protect our forces, our families, and the local community,” with out offering particulars on the infections.
Okinawa is residence to greater than half of about 50,000 American troops based mostly in Japan beneath a bilateral safety pact, and the residents are delicate to U.S. base-related issues. Many Okinawans have lengthy complained about air pollution, noise and crime associated to U.S. bases.
Okinawans additionally oppose a deliberate relocation of the Futenma air base from the present web site in a densely populated space in the south to a much less populated space on the east coast.
Local media reported that the Okinawan meeting adopted a decision Friday protesting the U.S. navy’s lack of transparency about its outbreak on base, and that native officers had been contemplating demanding shutdowns of Futenma and Camp Hansen.
Okinawa has about 150 circumstances of the coronavirus. In all, Japan has about 21,000 circumstances and 1,000 deaths, with Tokyo reporting greater than 200 new circumstances for a 3rd straight day Saturday.
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