The Deciport Daily Quick-Look: 20 October 2020
Deep-sea fishing boats around the country have been tied up for months awaiting fresh crew. ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF
237 fishermen of 440 arrived from Russia and Ukraine.
Security (Health) // BLUF: 11 international fishermen isolating at a hotel in Christchurch have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, despite testing negative before flying to New Zealand.
The 11 are part of a 440-person group arriving over two flights from Russia and Ukraine, with the first flight arriving last Friday.
Another 14 people are 'under investigation', with all cases reportedly being imported.
(See Point 3 Below for Further Information)
The Daily Quick-Look for 20 October 2020
The Deciport Daily Quick-Look is your at-a-glance look at several key events and situations around the world over the last 24 hours. Each headline contains the link to its source report.
BLUF = Bottom Line Up Front.
FYSA = For Your Situational Awareness.
1. UNITED STATES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA - Security: U.S., Japan, Australia conducted naval exercises in South China Sea Monday
FYSA: The United States, Japan and Australia conducted trilateral naval exercises in the South China Sea on Oct. 19, the U.S. Seventh Fleet said on Tuesday. It was their fifth joint operations this year in the fleet’s area of operations, it said in a statement. The operations took place as the United States and its allies have stepped up calls for a “free and open” Indo-Pacific amid mounting concerns about China’s assertiveness in the region. (Reuters. See link in heading for further reading)
2. TAIWAN - Security, Political: Taiwan says won't be intimidated by China's 'hooligan' diplomats
FYSA: Taiwan will not be intimidated by China’s “hooligan” officials and will continue to celebrate its national day around the world, the government said on Tuesday, after Taiwan said Chinese diplomats had tried to charge into a diplomatic event in Fiji. Taiwan’s charges, including that a Taiwanese diplomat ended up in hospital after the altercation, are hotly disputed by China, which views the democratically-run island as its own territory with no right to formal state-to-state ties. The Pacific is a major source of competition between the two, where Taiwan has official diplomatic relations with four countries, though not Fiji. Taiwan says the Chinese diplomats were trying to take pictures of a Taiwan national day event at a hotel to see who was there, and that in the altercation that followed people from both sides were injured. Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said Taiwan was a “peace-loving country” that invited people to events around the world for its Oct. 10 national day, which marks the founding of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name. “Going forward we will continue to hold national day receptions,” she said. “This will not change.” China can spread as many lies as it likes but Taiwan shouldn’t pay too much attention, Ou said. “The reality is this year we had 108 offices hold national day events in different ways, inviting the world to celebrate our birthday.” Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said the world needed to see what China was capable of, saying what they did was a “barbaric act”. “China’s officials posted overseas are acting like hooligans; beating people is not acceptable. We sternly condemn this,” he told reporters. The issue was hard to deal with because the Chinese diplomats there have diplomatic immunity, Su added. “But we must appeal to the international community with the relevant evidence.” Fiji’s foreign ministry has yet to comment on the incident, though Ou said Fiji’s government had been trying to mediate to bring a close to the issue. (Reuters. See link in heading for further reading)
3. NEW ZEALAND - Security (Health): Covid-19: 'Major outbreak' at Christchurch isolation facility housing dozens of international fishermen
FYSA: Eleven international seamen isolating at a Christchurch quarantine hotel are infected with Covid-19, despite testing negative for the virus before flying to New Zealand. Stuff previously reported about 440 fishermen from Russia and Ukraine were due to arrive on two flights chartered by fishing companies – the first of which is thought to have touched down from Moscow via Singapore on Friday. Many of the 237 people onboard have been isolating at the Sudima Hotel, near Christchurch Airport, since their arrival. On Tuesday afternoon, in response to questions from Stuff, a Ministry of Health spokeswoman said there were 11 positive cases at the facility and another 14 were “under further investigation”. The cases were all imported. They were detected as part of routine day three testing.The spokeswoman said some cases requiring further investigation could be historical. “All relevant public health measures are being taken. At facilities, strict infection, prevention and control processes are followed to minimise the risk to public and staff.” The positive cases were part of a group who “are the only people staying at this facility”. “This is an example of our border controls working as they should,” the spokeswoman said. Head of Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) Darren Webb said the hotel had been locked down as a precaution, with guests confined to their rooms while preparations for quarantining was undertaken. Additional security and nursing staff would be brought in and a special staff testing station established, he said. (Stuff. See link in heading for further reading)
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