Coronavirus: 40 US citizens on board Diamond Princess cruise infected

About 40 Americans that are quarantined on a cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan have tested positive for the deadly novel coronavirus. According to reports, Anthony Fauci, a senior US health official has confirmed the new coronavirus cases on board the Diamond Princess.

The confirmed cases will not be allowed on the flight

The US Centre for Disease Control has confirmed that the 400 American citizens on the Diamond Princess cruise ship would be evacuated home where they would be put in a 14-day quarantine period. But now according to reports, 40 American citizens who have been confirmed to have the novel coronavirus will not be allowed to fly and instead will be transported to hospitals in Japan.

According to reports, the severity of the infected Americans still on board varies and while they may show minimal symptoms, they are still carriers of the virus and can spread it to other people. The reports further added that those who were showing symptoms would also not be allowed on the evacuation plane and if passengers onboard started showing symptoms then they would be quickly segregated within the plane itself.

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In addition to the US, Canada too recently announced that it will be taking steps to evacuate its citizens that are currently quarantined on board the Diamond Princess cruise liner.

The cruise liner has become the source of the largest number of coronavirus infected cases outside of mainland China. Canada will be sending planes to Japan in order to bring back its citizens. According to reports, the Canadian government said that Canadian passengers aboard the cruise liner that exhibit symptoms of the virus or have been tested positive will not be allowed to board the flight. 

The Diamond Princess cruise has 3,700 passengers and crew on board. The ship has been in Yokohama since February 3. The Diamond Princess ship has been quarantined for more than a week now and over 250 people have been diagnosed with the virus. The ship's quarantine period is set to end on February 19. 

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