Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 11:00 - 12:00
Hitoshi Oshitani, Professor, Department of Virology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.
It's becoming clear the novel coronavirus that has now infected over 60,000 and has claimed close to 1,400 lives worldwide is gaining a foothold in Japan. The Health Ministry reported the country's first fatality on February 13, and cases have turned up in Wakayama and Okayama. Japan has confirmed 59 cases, in addition to the 355 passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, now moored in Yokohama.
To discuss what Japan and the world can and should do in the face of this snowballing outbreak, the club has invited Hitoshi Oshitani to give a press conference. As an adviser at the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Manila in the early 2000s, Oshitani was one of the first public health specialists to sound an alarm about an unusual infectious disease spreading in southern China. That disease erupted into a pandemic in 2002 and 2003 and was later named SARS. Since leaving WHO, Oshitani has been at Tohoku University where he continues to study public health issues.
Doors open for TV crews only at 10:30, all others at 10:45. Please reserve in advance, 03-3211-3161 or on the website (still & TV cameras inclusive). Reservations and cancellations are not complete without confirmation. Livestreaming of press conferences are available on our website(http://www.fccj.or.jp).
*Due to space restrictions, please note there will be a limited number of reservations to attend. FCCJ members, including TV cameras, will have priority for the reservation and seating/setting positions and one TV camera for affiliate networks.
Professional Activities Committee
