New corona patient- “rapid recovery” after administered with clinical trial drug Remdesivir

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

型コロナ患者、治験薬レムデシビル投与で「急回復」　米報道

2020.04.18 Sat posted at 09:45 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 米医療関連メディアのＳＴＡＴニュースは１６日、治験薬「レムデシビル」を投与された新型コロナウイルス感染症の患者が急回復していると報じた。この臨床試験に関する会議の動画を入手したとしている。

ＳＴＡＴが臨床試験を主導する医師の発言として報じたところによると、治験に参加した患者はいずれも重い呼吸器系の症状や発熱があったが、治療開始から１週間以内に退院することができたという。

臨床試験を主導する米シカゴ大の感染症専門家、キャスリーン・マレーン博士は動画の中で、「最も良い知らせは、患者の大半がすでに退院したことだ。死亡した患者は２人しかいない」と語っている。

ＣＮＮはマレーン氏にコメントを求めたものの、現時点で回答はない。

シカゴ大はマレーン氏の発言について、部分的な情報にすぎないと指摘。「定義上、進行中の臨床試験から得られた部分的なデータは不完全であり、調査対象となっている治療薬候補の安全性や有効性に関して結論を下すのに使うべきではない」と声明で述べた。

声明はさらに「今回のケースでは、進行中の研究に関する同僚向けの内部報告会の情報が承認なしに公開された。現時点で結論を引き出すのは時期尚早であり、科学的に不健全だ」としている。

新型コロナウイルス感染症に対する承認済みの治療法は存在しない。しかし、米国立保健研究所（ＮＩＨ）はレムデシビルを含め、複数の薬や治療法の臨床試験を主導している。

レムデシビルは米製薬大手ギリアド・サイエンシズが開発した薬で、エボラ出血熱に対する試験が行われたものの芳しい結果は出なかった。ただ、複数の動物実験では、重症急性呼吸器症候群（ＳＡＲＳ）や中東呼吸器症候群（ＭＥＲＳ）などに対する予防や治療の効果が示されている。

Translation

(CNN) STAT News, a US medical-related media, reported on the 16th that patients with new coronavirus infection who received the investigational drug “Remdesivir” were recovering rapidly. It said that it had a video of a conference about this clinical trial.

STAT, according to the saying of a doctor who led the clinical trial, reported that all the patients who participated in a trial had severe respiratory symptoms and fever, but could be discharged within 1 week after the start of treatment.

Dr. Kathleen Malaine, an infectious disease expert at Chicago University who led the clinical trial, said in a video that "The best news is that most of the patients have already been discharged. Only two patients have died".

CNN asked Malaine for comment, but there was no response at this time.

The University of Chicago pointed out that what Malaine had said was just partial information. In a statement it said that "By definition, the partial data from ongoing clinical trials is incomplete and should not be used to draw conclusions about the safety or efficacy of the therapeutic drug candidate under investigation".

  

The statement further supposed that, "In this case, information from an internal briefing session for colleagues on ongoing research was published without approval. At this time, it is too early to draw conclusions and is scientifically unhealthy."

There were no approved treatments for the new coronavirus infections. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was leading clinical trials of several drugs and treatments, including Remdesivir.

Remdesivir, a drug developed by US giant Gilead Sciences, was tested for Ebola but had no positive results. However, in a number of animal experiments it had shown the effects of preventing and treating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the like.

              So, sit seems that Remdesivir, a drug developed by US giant Gilead Sciences, has the potential to cure the new virus infection.

Infected at a music event in Chiba? "I take it lightly because I am young": An infected person testified

Recently Yomiuri Shimbun reported the following:

千葉の音楽イベントで感染か「若いので大丈夫、甘く見ていた」…感染者が証言

 読売新聞 2020/04/10 09:10

　新型コロナウイルスの感染は、若者世代にも広がっている。東京都が外出自粛の要請を出していた３月末の週末、クラブに遊びに行き、後に感染が判明した神奈川県内の男性会社員（３５）は「ウイルスを甘く見ていた」と後悔の思いを口にした。（畑武尊）

　３月２８日土曜日の深夜。一人暮らしの男性は、千葉市内で開かれたクラブの音楽イベントに参加し、徹夜で踊り明かした。以前から楽しみにしていたイベント。３０～４０人が集まったが、「密集」「密閉」「密接」の「３密」がそろった空間だった。千葉県は「都内への外出自粛」を呼びかけており、「東京ではなく千葉なので問題ないだろう」との軽い気持ちだった。

　体調に異変があったのは３０日。頭痛と倦怠（けんたい）感を覚えた。翌３１日、出社後に体温を測ると３７・５度。早退したが、市販薬で頭痛を抑えられたので仕事は続けた。

　４月３日朝、自宅でオレンジジュースを飲むと、氷で薄まったような味だった。「おかしい。ひょっとすると」。その日も仕事には行ったが、翌４日に容体は急変した。悪寒とめまいを覚え、大量に汗をかいた。はうようにしてトイレに行った後、１１９番で救急車を呼び、入院先の病院でウイルス検査を受けた。

　感染が確認されたのは６日。感染者を集めた４人部屋で過ごし、８日時点では痰（たん）が出ることを除き容体は安定している。新型コロナウイルスの治療薬として期待されている新型インフルエンザ治療薬「アビガン」も服用している。

　厚生労働省の７日時点の集計によると、国内で感染が確認された約４２００人のうち、４０歳未満は３４％を占める。クラブで感染したのかはっきりしないが、男性はここで感染した可能性があると思っている。「まだ若いので、感染しても大丈夫という慢心があった。クラブなどに遊びにいくと、自分のように苦しむことになる」と悔いた。

Translation

The new coronavirus infection had spread to the younger generation. On a weekend at the end of March when Tokyo requested people to refrain from going out, a male employee in Kanagawa prefecture (35) went to the club to look for fun, and was confirmed infected after that. He talked about regret for "taking the virus lightly". (Takeshi Hata)

It was midnight on Saturday, March 28th. A man living alone participated in a club music event held in Chiba and revealed that he had danced all night. It was an event that he had been looking forward to for a long time. 30-40 people gathered in a space with “three tights” environment: tight crowding, tight closure, and tight contact. Chiba Prefecture had been calling for "restraint from going out to Tokyo", but he took it lightly as "it would have no problem because it's Chiba, and Tokyo."

His physical condition changed on the 30th. Headache and tiredness were felt. The next day, the 31^st, after coming to office his body temperature was 37.5 degrees. He left early, continued to work because he was able to control his headache with over-the-counter drugs.

On April 3 in the morning when he drank orange juice at home, it tasted like that it had been diluted with ice. "Funny. Perhaps." He went to work on that day as well, but on the following day the 4th his condition suddenly changed. He felt chills and dizziness and sweated a lot. After going to the bathroom in a crawling manner, he called 119 for an ambulance and was examined for virus infection at the hospital where he was admitted.

Infection was confirmed on the 6th. He spent time in a room for four where infected people were assembled, and as of the 8th his condition was stable except that sputum appeared. He was also taking the new influenza drug "Abigan", which was expected to be a new coronavirus treatment.

 According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare data as of the 7th, out of the approximately 4,200 confirmed domestic infections, 34% were under 40 years old. It was unclear if he was infected in the club, but this man thought he might have been infected there. He regretted that "I was over confident that even if I might be infected, it would be fine because I was still young. When you go to clubs to look for fun, you will suffer like me".

              So, age will not necessarily be a factor to immune young people from being infected by the new virus, or to lessen the discomforts brought along by such an infection.

越南抗議北京在南中國海撞沉船

Yahoo News on 5^th April 2020 reported the following:

Vietnam protests Beijing's sinking of South China Sea boat

Reuters By Khanh Vu,Reuters 18 hours ago

Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

By Khanh Vu

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has lodged an official protest with China following the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat it said had been rammed by a Chinese maritime surveillance vessel near islands in the disputed South China Sea.

The Vietnamese fishing vessel, with eight fishermen onboard, was fishing near the Paracel Islands on Thursday when it was rammed and sunk by the Chinese vessel, Vietnam's foreign ministry said in a statement posted on a government website on Saturday.

All the fishermen were picked up by the Chinese vessel alive and were transferred to two other Vietnamese fishing vessels operating nearby, the Vietnam Fisheries Society said in a statement posted to its website.

"The Chinese vessel committed an act that violated Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago and threatened the lives and damaged the property and legitimate interests of Vietnamese fishermen," the foreign ministry said in its statement, referring to the Paracel Islands by its Vietnamese name.

Vietnam and China have for years been embroiled in a dispute over the potentially energy-rich stretch of water, called the East Sea by Vietnam.

The Vietnamese boat illegally entered the area to fish and refused to leave, the Chinese coast guard said late on Friday.

After making some dangerous maneuvers, the boat collided with a Chinese patrol vessel and sank, the Chinese coast guard said in a statement on its social media account.

The Chinese coast guard also said it had made solemn representations with the Vietnamese side.

The incident marks the second time in less than a year a Vietnamese fishing vessel has been reportedly sunk by a Chinese vessel near the China-controlled Paracels.

A Chinese oil survey vessel conducted operations in Vietnamese-controlled waters for more than three months last year, causing a tense standoff between vessels from the two countries.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by James Pearson and Jane Wardell)

Translation

河內（路透社）- 一艘越南漁船在越南沉沒後，越南向中國提出了官方抗議。越南說一艘漁船在有爭議的南海諸島附近被一艘中國海上偵察船碰撞。

越南外交部周六在政府網站上發表的一份聲明中說，在週四，這艘越南漁船上載著八名正在捕漁的漁民，在西沙群島附近被中國船隻撞沉。

越南漁業協會在其網站上發表的一份聲明中說，所有漁民都被中國漁船活著地救起，並轉移到附近的另外兩艘越南漁船。

外交部在聲明中說：“中國船隻進行侵犯越南對黃沙群島主權的行為，威脅越南人民的生命，並損害了越南漁民的財產和合法利益。” 並用越南語交待西沙群島名字。

越南和中國多年來一直捲入一場潛在能源豐富的爭端中，越南稱之為東海。

中國海岸警衛隊週五晚間說，越南船非法進入該地區捕魚並拒絕離開。

中國海岸警衛隊在其社交媒體賬戶的一份聲明中說，在進行了一些危險動作之後，這艘船與一艘中國巡邏艦相撞沉沒。

中國海岸警衛隊還表示，已向越南方面作了莊嚴的交涉。

這起事件標誌著越南漁船在不到一年的時間內第二次被中國船隻在靠近中國控制的西沙群島附近撞沉。

去年，一艘中國石油調查船在越南控制的水域進行了超過三個月的作業，造成兩國船隻之間的緊張對峙。

    So, Vietnam and China have for years been embroiled in a dispute over the sovereignty of the potentially energy-rich stretch of water that was called the East Sea by Vietnam. China always claims that many islands in the South China Sea are belong to China since time immemorial. Such a claim has been disputed by the Philippines in addition to Vietnam all the time.

US NY crude oil futures: first-ever negative price, demand decreased due to new corona

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

米ＮＹ原油先物、史上初のマイナス価格　新型コロナで需要減少

2020.04.21 Tue posted at 13:30 JST

ロンドン（ＣＮＮ Ｂｕｓｉｎｅｓｓ） ２０日の米ニューヨーク商業取引所（ＮＹＭＥＸ）の原油先物相場は、原油価格の指標となる米国産ＷＴＩ原油の先物価格（５月物）が１バレル＝マイナス３７．６３ドルで取引を終えた。これは原油先物の取引が１９８３年に始まって以来、最低の水準。

先物の売却は市場の仕組みも影響している。５月物は取引期限が迫っていた。投資家の大部分はすでに６月物に傾注している。６月物は１バレル＝２２ドル前後の水準で取引されている。

５月物の原油先物に対する強烈な圧力は、大きく落ち込んでいる原油市場の需要と供給に対する懸念を浮き彫りにした。

専門家からは「短期的には、米国には原油を望んでいる人は誰もいない」との声も出ている。

サウジアラビアやロシアなどの産油国は先週、原油価格を下支えするため、５月と６月の産油量について日量９７０万バレル削減することで合意した。しかし、エネルギー需要が消失して起きている供給過剰を解消できるかどうかは不透明だ。

原油の備蓄についてもすでに空き容量がなくなる危険性が出てきている。

Translation

London (CNN Business) - About the crude oil futures quoted at the New York Commercial Exchange (NYMEX) on the 20^th, as an index of oil price, the US WTI crude oil futures price (May) had a closing deal stood at minus $ 37.63 per barrel. This was the lowest level since crude oil futures trading began in 1983.

The sale of futures also affected the way the market was working. The May trading deadline was coming near. Most investors were already focusing on June. June trading was at around $ 22 a barrel.

The intense pressure on May crude oil futures highlighted concerns about supply and demand in the crude oil market which had fallen sharply.

Experts said, "In the short term, nobody wants crude oil in the United States".

Oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia last week agreed to cut 9.7 million barrels a day in both May and June to support crude oil prices. However, it was unclear whether the excessive supply caused by the disappearing energy demand could be resolved.

There was already a danger that crude oil stockpile could run out of storage space.

Comments

              So, Covid-19 brings into sight several new phenomena that challenge our understanding on how our society is operating. For example, in commodity price, crude oil can have a negative price; in environment, air pollution problem in big cities could easily go away when human activities slow down. In health-care, globally surgical masks could become a rare commodity. 

For me the pandemic is an “Apocalypse Now” and I think at least a few lessons could be learned from it. First, our daily life can change easily by unexpected factors: something looks trivial happens locally could turn into a global crisis as a result of globalization. 

Second, on the need and appropriateness to wear fact masks in public during a pandemic, there is a culture difference between eastern countries such as China, Korea and Japan, and western countries such as the United States, Canada and Britain. 

Third, about medical items such as medical mask and personal protective equipment (PPE), suddenly they become rare items globally. Probably many countries will re-reconsider whether these things should be perceived as national security items and to ensure the ability to produce them domestically.  As a related issue, for those national leaders with foresight, they may try to ensure their countries' ability to produce a reasonable amount of food domestically during an international food crisis. 

在國際貨幣基金組織警告下黃金創近七年新高，ETF再次上漲

Yahoo Finance  on 16.4.2020 reported the following:

Gold Digs In Near Seven-Year High as IMF Warns, ETFs Swell Again

Bloomberg Ranjeetha Pakiam,Bloomberg 18 hours ago

Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email

(Bloomberg) -- Gold traded near the highest close in more than seven years, supported by predictions for the deepest global recession in generations; expectations for prolonged, debt-fueled intervention by central banks and governments; and another charge by investors into bullion-backed funds.

Spot bullion held its ground after a four-day surge, with the International Monetary Fund twinning a warning that the pandemic-induced global recession will be the deepest since the Great Depression with a plea for more even more stimulus. Later Wednesday, U.S. retail sales data for March will add more detail on the damage from the outbreak as earnings season rolls on.

“Gold is the ultimate hedge against too much debt in the world,” said Rainer Michael Preiss, chief investment officer, equity, at The Global CIO Office in Singapore. Bullion will go on to hit a record, he said, citing balance-sheet expansions by central banks and large-scale fiscal stimulus.

The precious metal has rallied 14% this year -- supported by record holdings in exchange-traded funds -- as the pandemic pitched economies into recession and flayed appetite for risk. Bullion’s latest resilience came even as leaders in Europe and some U.S. states started preparations to ease lockdowns, with the outbreak showing signs of slowing. Additional support came from the dollar, which has dropped to near a one-month low.

If the IMF “predictions were to materialize, we could see continued fiscal and monetary support, weakening budgets, possible debasement of currencies and an increase in demand for gold,” said John Sharma, an economist at National Australia Bank Ltd. “This will likely provide solid support.” Still, any progress on the health front might limit the metal’s upside, he said.

Spot gold was steady at $1,727.30 an ounce at 7:07 a.m. in London after ending at $1,726.97 on Tuesday, the highest close since November 2012. On the Comex, futures eased 0.7% after peaking at a seven-year high Tuesday.

The IMF calculates governments around the world have already taken fiscal actions amounting to about $8 trillion, including more than $2 trillion in the U.S. Central banks including the Federal Reserve have piled in, too.

In other precious metals, silver dropped 0.9% while palladium and platinum rose.

Translation

（彭博社）- 受世代以來最嚴重的全球衰退預測支持, 黃金交易價格接近七年來的最高收盤水平；在期望中央銀行和政府会進行長期債務推動干預之下；投資者又一次向由金銀支持的基金衝刺。

現貨金在連續四天飆升後保持穩定，國際貨幣基金組織（IMF）發出警告，由大流行病引發的全球衰退將是自大蕭條以來最深的時期，並呼籲採取更多刺激措施。週三晚，隨著收益季節的來臨，美國3月份的零售數據將為疫情添加更多損失細節。

新加坡全球CIO辦公室股票首席投資官Rainer Michael Preiss說：“黃金是對付過多債務的終極對沖工具。”他說，基於中央銀行的資產負債表擴張及大規模的財政刺激措施, 指出金銀將繼續創紀錄。

由於大流行病導致經濟陷入衰退並壓制了風險的渴求，今年以來，由於交易基金的創紀錄持倉量的支持, 貴金屬已經上漲了14％。因為疫情顯示出放緩的跡象, 在歐洲和美國某些州的領導人, 開始準備放鬆封鎖措施,  但在此之際，金亦顯出最新的彈力。額外支撐來自美元, 但其匯率已經跌至近一個月低點。

National Australia Bank Ltd. 的經濟學家約翰·夏爾馬（John Sharma）表示，如果國際貨幣基金組織 “的預測出現，我們將看到持續的財政和貨幣支持，預算疲軟，貨幣貶值和黃金需求增加。他又說， “這等事会提供黃金堅實的支,”但儘管如此，在防疫健康方面的任何進展都可能限制金屬的上漲。

倫敦時間上午7:07，現貨金穩定在每盎司1,727.30美元，週二收於1,726.97美元，為2012年11月以來的最高收盤價。在週二觸及七年高位之後, 它在Comex期貨下跌0.7％，。

據國際貨幣基金組織（IMF）估計，世界各國政府已經採取了總計約8萬億美元的財政行動，其中包括在美國超過2萬億美元的中央銀行, 也包括美聯儲。

在其他貴金屬方面，銀下跌0.9％，而鈀和鉑上漲。

              So, one reason for the price of gold to go up recently is that its buyers, through supporting the  exchange-traded funds (ETF), are betting on a coming deep global recession, and also that the international efforts to fight the pandemic will be slow.

'Investigation phone call not answered' - infection spreading among the young, incidents of refusing to be tracked

Recently Yomiuri Shimbun On-line reported the following:

「調査の電話に出てくれない」感染拡大の若年層、追跡拒否のケースも

 読売新聞 2020/04/05 07:19

　東京都で４日、１日当たりの新型コロナウイルス感染者数が初めて１００人を超えた。深刻なのが、感染経路を特定できていない人の急増だ。若者を中心に保健所の調査に応じない人も少なくないという。都はこの週末も外出自粛を強く求めているが、「感染爆発」への危機感が強まっている。

　「以前より（感染経路を）追跡できない人が増えてきた」。東京都の幹部は４日夜、都庁（新宿区）で開いた記者会見で厳しい実態を明らかにした。

　都によると、この日までの累計感染者８９１人のうち、感染元をたどれていない人は４３６人とほぼ半数を占めているという。４日に判明した感染者１１８人のうち感染経路不明の人は７割近くに上る。担当者は「患者から細かい状況を聞き取るのが難しい。なかなか話してもらえないこともある」と説明する。

　特に感染経路の特定が難しいのが、症状が出にくいとされる若年層だ。しかし、その若年層で感染が拡大しており、今月に入ってから、３０歳代以下の感染者は全体の約４割を占め、２週間前の約２割から倍増した。夜の繁華街などで感染が広がるケースが目立ち、追跡調査を拒否するケースもあるという。保健所からは「若者は聞き取り調査のための電話に出てくれない」といった声も上がっている。

　都は、追跡調査を強化しながら、都民に外出自粛などを強く呼びかけて今後の感染拡大を抑制し、一方では病床不足への対策を急ぐ。医療現場では「軽症者を早期に別の場所に移さなければ、重症者の治療に支障を来す事態になりかねない」との危機感が強まっており、都医師会関係者は「ホテルへの軽症者の移送が始まれば、医療機関の負担は大きく軽減されるだろう」と早期の運用に期待している。

Translation

The number of new coronavirus infections per day exceeded 100 in Tokyo for the first time on April 4. What was serious was the rapid increase in the number of people whose transmission route could not be determined. It was said that there were a lot of people who did not respond to investigations done on public health centers set up for the young. As the city would push for self-restraint this weekend, there was a growing sense of crisis towards an "explosion".

"More than before the number of people who could not be traced (on the route of infection) has increased." Tokyo executives revealed a severe situation at a press conference held in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Shinjuku-ku) on the night of April 4.

According to Tokyo, out of the 891 infected people to date, the infection source of 436 could not be traced, accounting for almost half. Nearly 70% of the 118 infected people identified on the 4th had unknown routes of transmission. The person in charge explained that "It is difficult to hear the details from the patients. Sometimes it is difficult to talk to them."

It was especially difficult for young people, who were less likely to develop symptoms, to determine the route of transmission. However, infection had been expanding among the younger generation. Since this month about 40% of those infected were in their 30s and younger, and that doubled the about 20% two weeks ago. It was said that cases of infection spread in downtown areas at night were prominent, and there were cases where follow-up investigations were refused. From the public health centers, the voices saying that "Young people don't answer the phone for interviews" were rising.

The Metropolitan Government while strengthening follow-up surveys, had urged the Tokyo residents to refrain from going out, etc. to stop the spread of future infections, and on the other hand urgently taking measures to address the shortage of beds. Regarding medical sites, there was a growing sense of danger that if “the mildly ill were not relocated to another places early, it could hinder the treatment of the severely ill”. According to a Metropolitan Medical Association official, "if the transfer of mildly sick people to hotels begins, the burden on medical institutions will be greatly reduced”, and was waiting for an early action.

               It is interesting to note that the young people in Japan are less co-operative in stopping the pandemic. What are the reasons for that? Social scientists in Japan might be interested in doing a study on this phenomenon when the matter is over.

Influenza treatment drug "Abigan" - Clinical trial for new corona treatment started

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

インフルの治療薬「アビガン」 新型コロナ治療の臨床試験開始

2020年4月1日 0時12分

新型インフルエンザ治療薬、「アビガン」を製造している日本の製薬会社は、新型コロナウイルスの治療薬として国の承認を受けるための臨床試験を始めたと発表しました。

「アビガン」、一般名「ファビピラビル」は、新型インフルエンザの治療薬として、６年前、製薬会社の富士フイルム富山化学が開発したもので31日、新型コロナウイルスの治療のための臨床試験を始めたと発表しました。

臨床試験は東京都内の病院で新型コロナウイルスに感染した患者、およそ100人を対象に６月末まで行われ、治療の効果や安全性を確認するということです。

「アビガン」は動物実験で胎児への副作用が報告されたことから、妊娠中の女性には投与できず、ほかの薬が効かない感染症が発生し、国が使用すると判断した場合に限って投与されることになっています。

すでに中国では、新型コロナウイルスに感染した患者に投与する臨床研究を行った結果、肺炎の症状などを改善させる効果が認められたと報告されています。

日本でも、新型コロナウイルスに対して効果があるかどうか調べる臨床研究が３月から愛知県の藤田医科大学病院などで始まっています。

富士フイルム富山化学は臨床試験の結果、効果や安全性が確認されれば、新型コロナウイルスの治療薬として国に承認申請を行う方針です。

Translation

 A Japanese pharmaceutical company that manufactured a new influenza drug Abigan had announced that it had begun clinical trials to receive national approval for the treatment of the new coronavirus.

About Abigan, a generic name of Favipiravir developed by a pharmaceutical company Fujifilm Toyama Chemical six years ago as a therapeutic agent for new influenza, it was announced on March 31 that clinical trials for its treatment on new coronavirus would be started.

Clinical trials would be conducted in hospitals in Tokyo until about the end of June on approximately 100 patients infected with the new coronavirus as if to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the treatment.

In animal studies Abigan had been reported to have side effects on the fetus, so it would not be administered to pregnant women. In cases that an infectious disease could not be cured with other drugs, Abigan would be administered if the country decided to use it.

Already in China, regarding the result of a clinical study on its administration to patients infected with the new coronavirus, its effect in improving symptoms such as pneumonia had been reported.

In Japan, clinical research to determine whether it was effective against the new coronavirus had begun in March at Fujita Medical University Hospital in Aichi Prefecture.

FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical planned to submit an application to the government for its approval as a new type of coronavirus curing medicine if its efficacy and safety were confirmed as a result of clinical trials.

              It is good news that a new type of medicine to deal with COVID-19 is on trial in Japan.

In Venice, Italy a sword in the monastery found to be 5000 years old

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

修道院所蔵の刀剣、５０００年前のものと判明　伊ベネチア

2020.03.28 Sat posted at 18:50 JST

Francesca Giuliani-Hoffman, CNN

伊ベネチアの潟（ラグーナ）に浮かぶ島にある修道院で、中世の遺物として展示されていた金属の刀剣が、実際には５０００年前の青銅器時代にさかのぼるものだったことが明らかになった。展示を見た博士課程の学生が年代に疑問を持ち、金属の組成などを分析した結果、驚くべき発見につながった。

ベネチア大学の博士課程で考古学を研究するビットーリア・ダラルメリーナさんは、２０１７年にサン・ラザロ島にある修道院を訪れた。ガイドに案内されて修道院の展示資料を見学していると、長さ４３センチほどの金属製の刀剣に目が留まった。自身の専門分野で扱った青銅器時代の武器に似ている気がしたためだ。

刀剣の説明書きには中世の遺物とあったが、もっと古いものだと直感したダラルメリーナさんは刀剣の調査を開始した。パドバ大学と共同で刀剣の金属の化学組成を分析したところ、ヒ素を含む銅の合金で作られていることが分かった。この合金は主に紀元前４世紀の終わりから同３世紀初めにかけて使われていたもので、青銅の使用が定着する前の年代であることを意味する。

同じ化学組成を持つ刀剣２本がトルコで見つかっているが、これらは形状も非常に似通ったものとなっている。

当時はコーカサス地方やアナトリア地方、エーゲ海諸島及びギリシャ本土で新たな貴族階級が勃興していた。考古学者らはこうした刀剣について、武器であると同時に権威の象徴としての役割も果たしていたとみている。

修道院の記録文書の調査担当者によると、刀剣は１８８６年の８～９月、トルコのトラブゾンにある同じ宗派の聖職者組織から贈り物として届けられたという。

Translation

In a monastery on an island in the Italian Venetian Lagoon, a metal sword displayed as a medieval relic was revealed to actually date back to the Bronze Age 5000 years ago. A doctoral student who saw the exhibition questioned the age and analyzed the composition of the metal, etc., and this led to a surprising discovery.

Vittoria Dalalmerina, an archaeology PhD student at the University of Venice, visited a monastery on the island of San Lazaro in 2017. While being guided by a guide to observe the monastery's display materials, a 43-cm-long metal sword caught his eyes. Based on his specialty he felt that it looked like a Bronze Age weapon as a result.

Although the information sheet described the sword as a relic of the Middle Ages, Dalalmelina intuitively realized that it was older, and began investigating the sword. Analysis of the chemical composition of the sword's metal done in collaboration with the University of Padova revealed that it was made of a copper alloy containing arsenic. This alloy was mainly used from the end of the fourth century BC to the beginning of the third century, meaning that it came before the use of bronze had taken root.

Two swords with the same chemical composition had been found in Turkey, and all were very similar in shape.

At that time, new aristocracy was emerging in the Caucasus, Anatolia, the Aegean Islands and mainland Greece. Archaeologists believed that these swords were both weapons and symbols of authority.

According to investigators in the monastery's archives, the sword was delivered as a gift from the same religious priesthood organization in Trabzon of Turkey during the period between August to September 1886.

        So, it is an interesting archaeological discovery. The sharp eyes of a scholarly can lead to a new discovery. I think to own a sword was definitely a big matter in the Bronze Age.

In Iwate and Tottori prefectures new corona infected people `` Zero '' - try to find out why

Recently Mainichi Shimbun reported the following:

新型コロナ感染者「ゼロ」は岩手、鳥取の2県 理由を探ってみた

 毎日新聞 2020/04/10 06:00

　新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大が止まらない。政府が首都圏や関西圏など7都府県を対象に初めて緊急事態宣言を発令する中、岩手、鳥取の2県では、感染者が今も確認されていない。全国的に続々と新たな感染者が判明する中、踏みとどまっている2県。各県の担当者や専門家に話を聞き、理由を探ってみた。【小鍜冶孝志】

　岩手県独自の対策があるのか、県のホームページ上で公開されている情報を確認してみた。しかし、手洗いやうがい、アルコール消毒の推奨など一般的な予防策の記載が並び、目立った記述はない。同県の担当者に、特別な感染予防対策があるのか聞いてみた。三浦節夫・感染症担当課長は「もしあれば、こちらが教えてほしい」。ただ、2県の共通点については「人の往来が少ない点は共通している」と話す。

　鳥取県の推計人口は約55万人で全国で最も少ない。岩手県も約122万人で全国で30番台の少なさだ。岩手県の三浦課長は「当然ながら接触が少ないと感染するリスクも減る」と言う。

　鳥取県の担当者も「人口が少ないことに加え、大都市圏と比較し交流人口も少ない」などと語り、同様の見解を示す。鳥取県はインターネット上などで「コロナ疎開」の行き先として話題に上ることもあるが、同県の平井伸治知事は記者会見で「感染拡大防止や外出自粛に反すると自覚してほしい」と指摘し、同県担当者も「人が集まればそれだけリスクは高まる」と警戒している。

　一方、岩手県は人口密度も低い。県土は約1万5000平方キロで本州一の面積を誇り、四国4県に匹敵する。総務省のデータ（2015年時点）によると、岩手の人口密度は1平方キロ当たり83人で、北海道に次いで低い。密閉、密集、密接の「3密」になりにくい環境も影響しているとみられ、三浦課長は「県土の大きさも一因ではないか」と説明する。

　ただ、感染のリスクと隣り合わせの状況は変わらず、「すでに感染者が出ているのではないか」という声も上がる。3月末には、北海道小樽市で新型コロナウイルスの感染が確認された40代男性と濃厚接触していた岩手県内の4人がPCR検査を受けた。結果は陰性だったが、2週間の健康観察となった。

　岩手県によると、8日までに県内で実施したPCR検査は、わずか127件だけ。岩手より人口が少ない鳥取県と比較しても検査数で劣る。三浦課長は「保菌者がいた可能性は完全に否定はできない」とした上で「重症者がいれば必ず情報が上がってくる。その報告はない」としている。

　専門家にも意見を聞いてみた。感染症に詳しい「けいゆう病院」（横浜市）の菅谷憲夫医師は「人口がまばらで、東京や大阪など都市部との行き来も少ない。感染者が出ていない理由として、間違いないだろう」と話す。その上で、都市部を中心に人から人への感染が拡大していると指摘し、「ウイルスは風に運ばれて人に感染するわけではない。人同士の接触が少ない県は、当然感染のリスクも低くなる」と見解を示した。

Translation

The spread of the new coronavirus infection had not stop. While the government issued an emergency declaration for the first time in seven prefectures, such as the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Kansai area, no cases had been confirmed in Iwate and Tottori. These two prefectures were holding their ground as new cases of infection were identified one after another nationwide. We spoke with the staff and experts in each prefecture to find out the reason for that. [Takashi Kogaji]

I checked the information published on the Iwate Prefecture's website to look for unique measures in this prefecture. There were only descriptions of general precautionary measures such as hand washing, gargle, and recommendation of alcohol disinfection; no eye-catching description could be found. I asked a person in charge of the prefecture if there were any special infection prevention measures. Setsuo Miura, the Chief of Infectious Diseases Section said "If you have one, please let me know." However, regarding the commonalities between the two prefectures, he said, "The common point is that there is little interaction of people."

 Tottori Prefecture had an estimated population of about 550,000, the smallest in Japan. Iwate Prefecture had about 1.22 million, nationwide at the 30s range and was small in terms of size. "Of course, with fewer contact, the risk of infection would be reduced," said Mr. Miura of Iwate Prefecture.

A person in charge of Tottori Prefecture also expressed the same view, saying that "In addition to the small population, the number of moving people is smaller than those in large metropolitan areas." On the Internet and the like Tottori Prefecture was sometimes being talked about as a destination for "corona evacuation". Governor Shinji Hirai of the prefecture pointed out at a press conference that "I hope people have self awareness in stopping the spread of infection and refraining from going out." A person in charge of the prefecture also warned that "the more people gather, the higher is the risk."

On the other hand, Iwate Prefecture had a low population density. The prefecture's land was about 15,000 square kilometers and boasted to have the largest area in Honshu, comparable to the four prefectures in Shikoku. According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (as of 2015), the population density of Iwate was 83 people per square kilometer, the second lowest after Hokkaido. It seemed that the “three tights” environmental situations – tight closure, tight crowding, and tight contact that were difficult to found here also had some effect and Mr. Miura explained that “the size of the prefectural land may also be a factor”.

However, as the risk of infection and the situation next to it remained unchanged, some people asked, "Is there already an infected person?" At the end of March, four people in Iwate Prefecture who had been in close contact with a man in his 40s confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus in Otaru of Hokkaido were tested by PCR. The results were negative, but a two-week health observation was needed.

According to Iwate Prefecture, only 127 PCR tests were conducted in the prefecture by the 8th. In Tottori Prefecture, which had a smaller population than Iwate, the number of tests was lower. Miura on top of thinking that "We cannot completely deny the possibility that there may be a virus carrier," had supposed that "If there is a severely ill person, the information will always be submitted. There is no such reporting."

We asked experts for their opinions. Dr. Norio Sugaya of "Keiyu Hospital" (Yokohama City), which was familiar with infectious diseases said "The population is sparse, and there are few traffics with urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. No doubt this is a reason for no infected people." Further he pointed out that the spread of human-to-human transmission was increasing in the center of the urban area; and showed the understanding that "The virus is not transmitted by the wind to infect people. In prefectures with few human contacts, of course the risk of infection is also lower."

              Mr. Miura of Iwate Prefecture has rightly pointed out a simple fact: “no contact, no infection” among the people. The irony is that modern societies are enjoying the benefit of globalization, and human have been pushing for trade between different regions since time immemorial. One noticeable example of such an effort is for the Chinese to use the Silk Road to do business with Europe over a thousand years ago (now they are talking about One Belt One Road). When regional trade expands into a global scale, thanks to improvements in communications (such as the Internet) and transportation (such as container-vessels and cargo-planes), we have globalization. John Donne in 1624 had written that “No man is an Island, entire of it self; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.” So, human have a long tradition in trying to connect with each another by land, sea and air. An interesting question is: how will Covid-19 impact globalization in the future?

From pangolin a virus similar to the new coronavirus was discovered

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

センザンコウから新型コロナウイルスに類似のウイルス発見

2020年3月27日 6時25分

中国の研究者らは、世界的に感染の拡大が続く新型コロナウイルスに類似したウイルスが、体がうろこで覆われている珍しい哺乳類「センザンコウ」の仲間から発見されたと発表しました。コロナウイルスが自然界に広がるうえでセンザンコウが重要な役割を果たしている可能性があると指摘しています。

26日付けのイギリスの科学雑誌「ネイチャー」に掲載された論文によりますと、香港大学と広西医科大学の研究者は、2017年から去年にかけて中国に密輸され、当局に摘発された東南アジアに生息する「マレーセンザンコウ」31匹のうち８匹から、世界的な感染拡大を起こしている新型コロナウイルスと類似したウイルスを発見しました。

マレーセンザンコウから見つかったコロナウイルスと、新型コロナウイルスは、遺伝子の配列が85％から92％の割合で一致していたということです。

これまでの研究から、これらのコロナウイルスは、もともとコウモリの仲間が持っていたと考えられていますが、今回の研究で新たにセンザンコウの仲間からも高い頻度で見つかったことから、自然界にコロナウイルスが広がるうえで、センザンコウが重要な役割を果たしている可能性があると指摘しています。

また、研究者らは、野生動物の取り引きは自然界にあるウイルスを人間に感染させるリスクを高めるとして、市場での販売を厳重に禁止すべきだとしています。

Translation

Researchers in China announced that a virus similar to the new coronavirus, which continued to spread worldwide, had been discovered in a family of rare pangolin mammal whose body was covered with scales. They pointed out that pangolins might play an important role concerning the spread the coronavirus in nature.

According to a paper published in the British science journal Nature on the 26^th [March], researchers at Hong Kong University and Guangxi Medical University, between 2017 and last year, in eight out of 31 Malay pangolin lived in Southeast Asia smuggled into China and seized by authorities, had found a virus similar to the new coronavirus which was causing worldwide infection.

The coronavirus found in the Malay pangolin and the new coronavirus were 85% to 92% identical in gene sequence.

Previous studies suggested that these coronaviruses were originally possessed by bats, but in this study, coronaviruses were also newly found at a high frequency among pangolin. As coronavirus spreads in nature, it was pointed out that pangolins might play an important role in the spreading.

Also, researchers said that wildlife transaction would increase the risk of transmitting virus living in the natural world to humans and selling them in the market should be strictly banned.

              The suggestion to ban wildlife transaction in the market has been mentioned many times in China in the past, but no serious action has been taken so far. This time the new virus perhaps has given human being a hard lesson to learn. COVID-19 shows that bad eating habits practiced inside China could affect humanity globally.

Solution to new coronavirus: do not use vodka for disinfection - a U.S. manufacturer demands

Last month CNN.co.jp reported the following:

新型コロナ対策、ウォッカで消毒しないで　米製造業者が呼びかけ

2020.03.06 Fri posted at 17:00 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 米テキサス州を拠点に蒸留酒を製造するティトーズ・ハンドメイド・ウォッカは５日、感染が拡大する新型コロナウイルス対策として同社の製品を手指の消毒に使用するのはやめるよう呼びかけた。

ティトーズは公式ツイッターへの投稿で米疾病対策センター（ＣＤＣ）の指針に言及。「ＣＤＣによれば、除菌用のハンドジェルは少なくとも６０％のアルコールを含んでいなくてはならない」としたうえで、「ティトーズ・ハンドメイド・ウォッカのアルコール度数は４０％なので、現在ＣＤＣが推奨する基準を満たさない」と説明した。

この投稿は、あるユーザーが同社のウォッカを手指の消毒に使ったと明かしたことに返答したもの。ティトーズは添付した声明で、きちんとした方法で手を洗うことが最良のウイルス対策になるとするＣＤＣの見解も引用している。

除菌用ジェルは石けんと水が手近にない場合は重宝するが、市販の製品は現在十分出回っていない状況にある。かといって、インターネットの情報をもとに自家製の除菌用ジェルを作るのも、一般的にはあまりよい方法ではないと専門家は指摘している。

ＣＤＣは手洗いに関して、少なくとも２０秒はしっかり洗った方がよいとアドバイスする。そのほか手で顔を触るのは避け、せきやくしゃみをするときには口を覆うべきだとも述べている。

 Translation

  

(CNN) On the 5^th a Texas-based producer of distilled spirits, the Tito's Handmade Vodka, had called on people to stop using its products for disinfecting hands as a countermeasure against the growing outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Tito’s referred to the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in an official Twitter post. On top of supposing that "According to the CDC, the hand gel for disinfection must contain at least 60% alcohol", it also said that "because Tito's handmade vodka has an alcohol content of 40%. it does not meet the present criteria recommended by CDC ".

For this post, in a reply a user revealed having used the company's vodka to disinfect fingers. In an accompanying statement, Tito’s quoted CDC's view that proper hand washing was the best antivirus solution.

While germicidal gels were important in situations when soap and water were not at hand, yet currently there were occasions that such commercial products were not available. Having said that, experts pointed out that making homemade disinfection gels based on information from the Internet was also in general not a good way.

About hand washing, CDC advised that one should do it thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. It also stated that one should avoid touching the face with the hands, and cover one’s mouth when coughing or sneezing.

              So, ordinary wines and spirits are not strong enough to kill the new corona virus. Recently, in order to protect myself from the new virus, I bought a few bottles of disinfection spray from a neighborhood drug store. The liquid had about 70% to 75% alcohol content and claimed that it could kill 99% of all the germs.