In touch with Indians on board Japan cruise ship: Indian Embassy

Indian Embassy here on Tuesday said it was in touch with 138 Indians, including passengers and crew members, on board a cruise ship, carrying 3,711 people, quarantined off Japan due to diagsis of some vel coronavirus cases.

Cruise ship Diamond Princess with 3,711 people on board arrived at Japanese coast early last week and was quarantined after a passenger who de-boarded last month in Hong Kong was found to be carrier of vel virus on ship.

Around 60 people tested positive of virus on Monday, taking total number of those infected on ship to 130. Authorities h initially tested nearly 300 people when ship arrived at Japanese coast.

" situation is being monitored closely," an Indian Embassy official told PTI on asked if re are any arrangements me by mission to deboard Indians from ship.

"re are a total of 138 Indian nationals on ship. Indian Embassy is in touch with m," official said, ding that Indians on ship have t been tested for coronavirus.

Those on ship have been asked to wear masks and allowed limited access to open decks as y are vised to remain in cabins most of times to contain spre of virus, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, operator of ship on Monday vowed to refund all 2,666 passengers due to on board outbreak of new coronavirus.

Carnival Japan Inc., Japanese branch of Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., which operates ship, said refunds will be offered via travel ncies through which passengers me ir bookings.

company will ditionally cover all costs incurred by those quarantined aboard ship since last Tuesday, when passengers were originally scheduled to disembark at Yokohama.

death toll in China's vel coronavirus outbreak has gone up to 1,016 with 108 new fatalities reported mostly in worst-affected Hubei province while confirmed cases of infection have soared to 42,638.

Outside China, re have been more than 350 infections reported in almost 30 places with two deaths, one in Philippines and or in Hong Kong.

coronavirus outbreak originated in central China's Hubei province in December last year.

Several countries have banned arrivals from China while major airlines have suspended flights to country.