The Asuka II cruise ship is seen docked at Yokohama port in November 2020. Photo: KYODO
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Cruise ship returns to Yokohama after one passenger tests positive for COVID-19

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I'm not allowed to play tennis, which is outdoors and distanced, due to the pandemic, but 100s of people are allowed to cram themselves onto a boat?

59 ( +61 / -2 )

Why, why, why has NYK restarted cruising in the midst of a pandemic when 98% of the Japanese public has not been vaccinated! Whose idiotic idea was that? 

NYK’s year-on-year profits have nearly tripled in the pandemic (1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021), so carelessly rushing the company’s sole cruise ship back into service is absolutely unnecessary — because of potential, easily foreseeable PR disasters like this! Do better, NYK. Manage smarter.

(For an industry perspective, even cruise ships sailing from the U.S. remain idle, where 31% of the public has been fully vaccinated.)

52 ( +59 / -7 )

The infected person, a man in his 60s from Tokyo, did not have close contact with any other passengers

Seriously? On a cruise ship?

Is this because ‘close contact’ is defined as something ridiculous like maskless contact within 2 metres for 20 minutes??

Its absolutely ridiculous that a cruise ship was allowed to operate for a 1 week cruise during a SoE when people are being ‘urged’ not to travel.

49 ( +53 / -4 )

Here we go again.

47 ( +51 / -4 )

I’ve come to the sad conclusion that people are too stupid for us to ever overcome this virus.

42 ( +43 / -1 )

Back to where it all began.

38 ( +41 / -3 )

The article says that all passengers were tested before leaving. I am guessing these were private tests and therefore not even counted in official testing statistics, right? And the positive guy? Official or non-official? Again assuming non-official?

To Japan: fix your testing system. Anybody should be able to be tested anywhere, at anytime.

Finally, the entire ship needs to be quarantined for at least 14 days and everybody tested across multiple days, before being allowed to disembark. There is something called an incubation period.

But no, they're returning to Yokohama and all will disembark and spread into the community.

Diamond Princess II.

38 ( +41 / -3 )

please shut down those ocean death traps!

35 ( +37 / -2 )

Test before leaving the harbor.

27 ( +29 / -2 )

What has Japan learned this past year?

… Literally nothing

25 ( +28 / -3 )

Why in god's name are cruise ships still operational while movie theaters aren't?!? What kind of idiotic governing is that??

24 ( +26 / -2 )

The infected person, a man in his 60s from Tokyo, did not have close contact with any other passengers

The concept of “close contact” during the pandemic in Japan has been very questionable since day 1.

I work in the same small office, a couple of meters of a colleague who tested positive and was never tested as I was not qualified as a “close contact”.

I was close enough to smell his morning coffee, but not enough to get tested. Kind of funny, should we not be talking about a deadly virus.

Reach your own conclusions from this.

23 ( +25 / -2 )

wonder where and how they'll quarantine 700+ people for two weeks.

22 ( +25 / -3 )

How come people insist on cruises even at this point? from a certain point of view this would be an inevitable result as long as the passengers are not isolated before boarding the ship.

21 ( +25 / -4 )

i was speechless last night seeing this story on the news.

literally speechless.

21 ( +23 / -2 )

Taking a cruise in the middle of a pandemic which is becoming worse not better = death wish.

Some people are just plain dumb.

21 ( +24 / -3 )

wonder where and how they'll quarantine 700+ people for two weeks.

On the ship.

20 ( +22 / -2 )

Simplefacts

To Japan: fix your testing system. Anybody should be able to be tested anywhere, at anytime.

and what country does that??? What about the costs? The supplies? etc

Well, a few examples for starters: Australia, Korea, Singapore, Finland - and several other European countries. And pretty much every country on this globe tests more than Japan. Japan, who's supposed to host the pretty much biggest international event in just a few months.

A few stats from https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing :

Tests per 1000 people -

Japan 0.58

Russia 1.97

USA 2.79

Chile 3.03

France 4.41

UK 15.93

19 ( +20 / -1 )

Who is crazy enough to go on a cruise in a middle of a pandemic???

18 ( +19 / -1 )

A cruise ship in a country with less than 2% vaccinated.

Who could have seen this coming?

Also note, the air conditioning is shared among the cabins, locking everyone in doesn't really help, especially for the rooms close to the guy infected.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

The sailing petri dish strikes again. Hope it's only that one passenger. Just stay home, heed the medical community's advice.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

The rules on qualifying for a test are idiotic.

some months ago I had a slight fever for 2 days. I decided to get tested and because of the fever I qualified and was covered for the test under insurance. It cost about 2000 yen. (It was negative).

recently an acquaintance had severe fatigue but no fever and hence didn’t qualify. To get tested they had to pay 16,000JPY out of pocket.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

What country would let cruise ship come in during a pandemic? Oh right Japan! They really don't get it.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Why in god's name are cruise ships still operational while movie theaters aren't?!? What kind of idiotic governing is that??

Governing that works based on who your mates in business are and/or how well your palms have been greased presumably.

i.e. absolutely nothing to do with the actual risks posed by a global health pandemic.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

I’ve been on a cruise and loved it. I would love to do it again.

But one thing I wouldn’t do is get on a boat with 700 other unvaccinated people in the midst of a pandemic with a highly contagious virus. That’s just dumb.

Once I’m vaccinated I’ll live my life normally again. I MIGHT still get infected, but my risk of serious illness or death is virtually nil and my risk of spreading it seems much reduced.

Until then I would be personally stupid and socially irresponsible to engage in activities such as this.

15 ( +19 / -4 )

Enjoy life especially now it’s GW.

Yup. Especially since Osaka has run out of ICU space and is cancelling all operations.

Great idea.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Just like everyone else, I cannot believe the sheer stupidity of this. You'd think, after the Yokohama incident early last year, it would have scared the bejeezus out of everyone, but no - people go right back onto cruise ships in the middle of a pandemic. Well done, people and well done, authorities.

It is plain criminal how a supposedly 'developed' country is putting the Olympics ahead of the lives of its own people, even if it means preventing access to free testing for anyone who has been in close contact with an infected person or showing even the slightest of symptoms. Absolute criminal. I hope the Olympics are cancelled permanently, and yes, that's out of spite, for the way the government has treated everyone.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

People just do NOT learn.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

you wouldn't read about it would you.... oh, hang on, I just did..... I wonder if being endlessly gobsmacked is hazardous to my health.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Ah, cruise ships. Another one of those things you’d just incorrectly assumed based on common sense that nobody would want to, let alone be allowed to, go on right now but of course they are running.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Even vaccinated healthy persons carry virus and PCR is not perfect, so such cruise travel should be suspended for a few years.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

And I also bet that they won't quarantine the other passengers on the ship for two weeks, but say it's all okay and let them go, ride public transports, and return home... just like last time.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Joke of a country. If they haven't already, surely now the international community will realise how much of a laughing stock Japan is on how it's handled the pandemic.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

smithinjapan

And I also bet that they won't quarantine the other passengers on the ship for two weeks, but say it's all okay and let them go, ride public transports, and return home... just like last time.

Yup, that's exactly what's happening. The other passengers will not be tested, they will just go home. It was stated on the NHK TV news in the morning.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

This just another sign of how stupid this Japanese Government and you say the people are...Emergency lock down..no travel but bloody hell ok to go on a holiday on a ship..crazy..stupid..and I am in isolation as we speak in a APA bloody crappy hotel in Yokohama.

No alchohol allowed

No hot food

4 of the worst movies in English

APA take your money from Government as you service is crap

Crazy stupid Japanese Government

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Really! A cruise ship. Is allowed to operate? During a state of emergency! Do government officials have amnesia?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

such a shame how one person slipped through and spoilt the golden week holidays for others

10 ( +27 / -17 )

But no, they're returning to Yokohama and all will disembark and spread into the community.

COVID is already everywhere in the community. Letting these people disembark will not change anything, FWIW.

But, but.... everyday we read things like this:

"Without hard lockdowns, japan has handled this virus much better than other countries, and so far only recorded just 10,000 deaths. In addition there have only been 500,000 accumulated cases since the pandemic began."

Zoroto: I think I will join others here and just put my head back into the sand, where it belongs.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

It did not end well last time a boat was moored in Japan with covid onboard. Will they be any less incompetent this time around? Rhetorical question!

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Japanese passenger, right? Spreading the virus making it worse.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Just like everyone else, I cannot believe the sheer stupidity of this. You'd think, after the Yokohama incident early last year, it would have scared the bejeezus out of everyone

Ah but this time it was a Japanese cruise ship - therefore safety.

No one in their right mind would have booked a cruise on a foreign operated ship. That would be kowai what with the virus and everything.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Test before leaving the harbor.

They did test PCR to all passengers before leaving Yokohama. All negative but one became positive later on board. PCR test seems not perfect examination.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Vinke:

Absolute horrific stats. Japan at the bottom of the pile. Given that it is hosting the world's largest sports event, it should be near the top when it comes to availability of testing. And I don't mean clinics on the other side of town with rip-off prices and which can't give results within an hour or so, and charge an arm and a leg for a certificate.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Even vaccinated healthy persons carry virus and PCR is not perfect, so such cruise travel should be suspended for a few years.

I was going to say that as long as everybody is vaccinated then the risk decreases enough for it to be comparable with other diseases like influenza, but being Japan this may very well take a few years anyway...

8 ( +13 / -5 )

of course the cruise company is going to pay back everything and an extra fee for the ruined vacations of the passengers, right? it would not be logical to participate without even this basic agreement.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

This tells me testing is not 100% proof. You might have been tested before COVID-19 surprised you and missed getting detected.. I would only consider traveling if everyone was vaccinated. I do not trust testing alone.

Obviously. You get tested ,and then a few days later tested again and come up positive. It's due to incubation time. So really, before taking a cruise, or international flight, should be quarantined for 14 days before leaving AND upon return to be absolutely sure there is no chance of transmission. Even in that case, small chance the virus will find a way. The issue is, as others had pointed out, it's rampant in japan now. There is no way can stop this thing without a total hard lockdown for a few months.

Other places like taiwan, NZ, Aust went hard as soon as they had a few cases. Japan could have gone that route but instead chose to prioritize the economy. Look at where that got them. If they had half a brain they would have chosen the former.

A little hardship and then would be open off business and we could enjoy the Olympics without masks etc (or at least enjoy them more than will be able to as things stand now).

8 ( +9 / -1 )

And, as predicted, they showed on the news tonight the passengers disembarking and being told they can use buses, trains, and what not to go home. No quarantine for two weeks... nothing.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

jiji Xx - wonder where and how they'll quarantine 700+ people for two weeks

On the ship.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

@Didou

Curious but why are you not allowed?

Tokyo Metro has closed all its public courts during the SOE. Several sessions our group had planned were suddenly and automatically cancelled by the booking system.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

plenty of beds available but the hospital system is badly managed, resources are not used effectively. We saw that with the last flu crisis which was worse than this. Could be a good wake up call for authorities to sort things out

You are confusing Bed available in hospitals to ICU beds available.

Japan has one of the highest hospital beds per 100,000 people in the world.

But Japan also has one of the lowest ratios of ICU beds of any developed country.

So no it is not badly managed it is as simple as Japan previously had little need for ICU beds as unlike most western countries things like coronary disease is low and the population relatively healthy.

This would be like saying after a freak winter of heavy snow from Kanto to Kyushu that Japan's airports are badly managed for not having enough snow removal capabilities.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I’ve come to the sad conclusion that people are too stupid for us to ever overcome this virus.

Thats exactly why some countries are harder hit than others.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Both operating a cruise ship and being a passenger on one are sheer lunacy, I'm sure most will agree.

However, I wonder how many of you take the train every day? If in Tokyo are you one of the more than 3 million who use Shinjuku Station every day? Or a Yamanote Line train crowded with a few hundred people running every 2 or 3 minutes? A half-full cruise ship has much more elbow room than either of these.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Japanese can not recuse a good bargain. This trip must have been heavily discounted and so they went

5 ( +6 / -1 )

According to cruise operator NYK Cruises Co and local city officials, some 720 passengers and crew tested negative one week prior to the ship's departure on a seven-day cruise, but the results of additional tests conducted just before boarding on Thursday confirmed Friday afternoon that the man was positive.

One week prior..............Yeah, nothing could happen in 7 days time, right?

Look, if you're ignorant enough to get on a cruise ship in 2021, post 2020 cruise ship issues, you deserve any discomfort that's about to happen.

Leave them all on the boat for 2 weeks in quarantine. They don't wanna learn, they will learn now. Maybe.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Government..are stupid and totally to blame

And the operators of the ship as well money first then the rest

Funny thing why aren't the Japanese news reporters jumping on this..no just silently sitting there

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"We were able to respond promptly because we had learned lessons from the Diamond Princess," referring to a cruise ship hit by an outbreak of coronavirus infections last year.

No lessons have been learn't. The lesson of the Dismond Princess is simply don't be sailing cruise ships during a pandemic.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Get Use To It,

This virus is NOT going anywhere, it will be with us for many years to come, and at some point when we adjust and learn to live with it safely, it will be just another virus that we have to share this planet with.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

"Test before leaving the harbor."

they did

 "but additional tests conducted during boarding confirmed the man was positive on Friday afternoon."

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@onedragon & do the hustle.... thank you, I actually didn't think of that, assuming they were coming back to port for a reason... thinking that, if they stay onboard, seems a certainty that the plague will spread. anyway, just glad it's not me.... just checked, and on the Diamond Princess last year, over 700 people were infected, 14 died. doubly glad!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Chris Ghaar:

Last year's Diamond Princess case was very educational.

Not to mention, deadly. Those people stuck on the ship last year were treated like guinea pigs, left to get infected by a weak, useless government. And that was just a taster of how absolutely useless and criminal this government has been from then till now, and beyond.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The cruise ship company must be facing business bankruptcy if they wait much later, so they took a chance to run business. Most cruise ship companies are probably not doing business yet, maybe too early to run cruise business.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

How can pointing out that the SOE now in place makes no sense because if the port had been located in Tokyo the cruise would have been forced to cancel.

As I pointed out large corporations can just shift to the next closest prefecture not under SOE.

So Kanagawa isn't under SOE so it operates as usual but if it was all they have to do is arrange to start the cruise from the nearest non SOE prefecture port.

This is what multiple businesses are doing.

Perfectly on topic, as to why the cruise was permitted, because no SOE in Kanagawa.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Dont forget that someone else is also to blame here, yes the goverment, IF the cabinet had not dithered, bumbled, stalled, dragged there heals, stopped running around like headless chickens, and go on with arranging covin injections this man would have had his first or second vacine jab and this would not have happened.

And may be the ship owner are partially to blame as well, they should have only allowed passangers on, only if they have had the first covid vacine jab, preferably both.

Or is this just a money grab?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Chris Ghaar:

From the present perspective, gov. could have organized a quarantine for them outside ship.

Well, you said it.

Perhaps, Diamond Princess should have returned to Hongkong when they knew they had one infected passenger...

When the first passenger was confirmed to have had the virus in HK, the ship was already in Naha. Perhaps it shouldn't have gone on to Yokohama, but you are out of your mind if you think it would have been a good idea to leave Naha and go back to HK knowing there was already a possibility of infection.

The case is "educational" because it demonstrated that covid propagation rate was much smaller than assumed earlier,

I don't know about you, but I didn't feel any better knowing that 'only' 712 out of 3,711 people were infected and 14 of those died. You say educational, I say guinea pigs. Let's just agree to disagree.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Huh? Obviously no one learned a thing from last year’s cruise ship fiascos. Why are people getting on a cruise ship and expecting a different result when the country has only started its vaccination program just recently? This is maddening.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Was it called Diamondo plinsesssu ?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Cruising just now isn't very smart.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I am honestly surprised enough people are still going on cruises in full pandemic to make it worth taking out the ship.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is a very serious crime against the Nation.

Those who promoted, sold and ran this cruise need to be prosecuted as a deterrent to all greedy selfish

travel promoters who care more about the cash than the care and welfare of the Nation.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Fwiw, close contact is defined somewhat the same way in Canada. BUT, they won't deny you to the test whither you were in close contact or not, just that you MUST test if you were in close contact.

With regards to running a cruise while there is SOE, earlier there was a similar incident in Singapore where someone tested positive after boarding the ship and it had to be canceled. So it's not isolated to Japan, I think in that case it was a "false positive", but canceled none the less. And given the requirement of a skeleton crew, maintenance etc of the ship whither there is passenger on the ship or not I'm not that surprised the company will repeated try to run the cruise regardless, of pass failures.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@JeffLee

I'm not allowed to play tennis

Curious but why are you not allowed?

Tennis courts are closed or your team stopped activities, or the tennis federation asked ?

I have seen schoolboys with tennis rackets.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This tells me testing is not 100% proof. You might have been tested before COVID-19 surprised you and missed getting detected.. I would only consider traveling if everyone was vaccinated. I do not trust testing alone.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Joke of a country. If they haven't already, surely now the international community will realise how much of a laughing stock Japan is on how it's handled the pandemic.

I highly doubt the international community is any better.

I base this in the fact that not a single western country has pulled out of the Olympics.

Instead they all seem quite ready to send their teams despite the mess going on here.

If they haven't realised by now I don't think they will ever.

Oh yes in their countries they seem to be doing better on testing, etc...

But they also seem to think that somehow they can send a team to a place like Japan during a pandemic and that is just fine.

Basically all governments are full of incompetent fools.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

and crew, cmon now. Did you guys NOT get a new job within the last year? To the new recruits, just slaps already.

Ok I will do the same.

Hello 2020~21 here.

Service industry Jobs are all gone, no restaurants, bar, clubs, cruise ships, etc...

Companies layed off many workers, factories closed due to low demand as people lose their jobs, worried about losing their jobs and no one is really spending.

Guess the above didn't happen.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Pukey2Today  10:50 am JST

It is plain criminal how a supposedly 'developed' country is putting the Olympics ahead of the lives of its own people, even if it means preventing access to free testing for anyone who has been in close contact with an infected person or showing even the slightest of symptoms. Absolute criminal. I hope the Olympics are cancelled permanently, and yes, that's out of spite, for the way the government has treated everyone.

Well said.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is exactly why we need e-vaccine passports. Everyone should be required to show proof of vaccination before boarding a cruise ship!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What is wrong with this people?They never understand.

I'm changing my route.This GW my destination is up the mountains with my crew.

Yokohama Nope.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

so quarantine will not be on the ship then.....!!!!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here’s the their NYK’s ‘transparency’ of protocols before, during and after via NHK, etc

https://www.tellerreport.com/life/2020-10-22-cruise-ship-%22 asuka-2%22-training-for-passenger-infection-assumption-aiming-to-resume-operation-next-month-.SkBQLqC0wD.html

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

When the first passenger was confirmed to have had the virus in HK, the ship was already in Naha.

"On 1 February, the ship called at Naha Port in Okinawa and was quarantined.[17] On the same day, the 80-year-old man who disembarked in Hong Kong six days earlier tested positive for COVID-19. Having a fever, he went to the hospital and got tested.[17][20]Hong Kong's Department of Health immediately contacted the agent of the ship's operating company, but the ship did not immediately inform the passengers and they were notified about that on 3 February, two days later.[21] Over the next few days, the cruise ship had shows and dance parties as usual and also continued to open public facilities that attract large crowds, including fitness clubs, theatres, casinos, bars, and buffet-style restaurants.[21]"

Obviously ship operators (US/UK company) are to be blamed for infection spread and death of passengers.

Normally, the ships with contagious disease are not allowed into ports.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Pukey2:

Not to mention, deadly. Those people stuck on the ship last year were treated like guinea pigs, left to get infected by a weak, useless government. And that was just a taster of how absolutely useless and criminal this government has been from then till now, and beyond.

One addition:

Those people were regularly tested, and moved to hospitals when infected. From the present perspective, gov. could have organized a quarantine for them outside ship. (If I remember, they did so after some time).

Perhaps, Diamond Princess should have returned to Hongkong when they knew they had one infected passenger...

The case is "educational" because it demonstrated that covid propagation rate was much smaller than assumed earlier, especially in garbage simulations produced by Ferguson team, and by other people who used his buggy software.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Wow! 90 comments in :45 minutes! Last year was terrible. Perhaps many of us have contracted 2021 GW variant of cabin fever? Unfortunately, testing will not be available on weekends and holidays.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Not to mention, deadly. Those people stuck on the ship last year were treated like guinea pigs, left to get infected by a weak, useless government. And that was just a taster of how absolutely useless and criminal this government has been from then till now, and beyond.

Relax. Large-scale trials of experimental vaccines on humans in EU, US and UK just begun.

"Wait and see" approach in the case of hazy "vaccine science" and lack of data seems reasonable to me.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

That’s pure logic. If viruses are kept , cultivated and survive in those laboratories, then there’s also a certain probability for survival of viruses in a big ship that was or still is contaminated from earlier cruises. In other words, you can test whoever and how often you want , but still viruses around the place.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

All passengers had returned negative results in COVID-19 tests conducted one week before the ship's departure

How many times did I tell here before that a negative test gives you the result just for the moment.

One minute after the test or even during the test you can get infected by someone and you can be positive.

A negative test result is valid just for one second.

Here you have the proof.

*
-5 ( +6 / -11 )

TheDalaiLamasBifocals

plenty of beds available but the hospital system is badly managed, resources are not used effectively. We saw that with the last flu crisis which was worse than this. Could be a good wake up call for authorities to sort things out

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

"They did test PCR to all passengers before leaving Yokohama. All negative but one became positive later on board. PCR test seems not perfect examination."

exactly,

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

To Japan: fix your testing system. Anybody should be able to be tested anywhere, at anytime.

and what country does that??? What about the costs? The supplies? etc

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

This incident shows that it is important to quarantine people entering Japan:)

The decision to have "games" without foreign spectators is correct then...

The good thing is that NYK found only one case of covid aboard. Hopefully, tightening a bit screening protocols and emergency procedures will allow them for successful resumption of business.

Last year's Diamond Princess case was very educational. It can be regarded as a study of covid propagation in a closed system. It showed that out of about 6,000 people aboard, only 720 got infected, and 13 died.

This, I think, helps estimating the so called R0-factor, and make more informed simulations of covid propagation on larger scale. (The simulation of Neil Fergusson of UCL grossly overestimated covid propagation, and were the basis of unnecesary hard lockdowns in UK, EU and US. Later, people realized that his simulations were always wrong (swine flue, H1N1 etc)). I wonder why?

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Wouldn’t mind going on a cruise for a few days in the summer to be honest. Life needs to carry on as usual, take precautions until this Covid lark is ended and get vaccinated if you want. Japan is not in turmoil, people aren’t dropping like flies.

Enjoy life especially now it’s GW.

-15 ( +4 / -19 )

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