Published 07:25 IST, February 18th 2020
Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan confirms 99 new cases of Coronavirus
The total number of infected on board the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess has risen to 454 after Japan recently announced 99 more cases on board.
The total number of infected onboard the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess has risen to 454 after Japan recently announced 99 more cases on board the ship. According to reports, Japan's health ministry was carrying out tests on passengers and crews that are quarantined onboard the ship.
Largest concentration of infected outside of China
The Diamond Princess is currently docked in Yokohama, a port city close to Tokyo. The quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship is scheduled to end on February 19. The cruise liner boasts the largest number of positive cases for COVID-19 outside of mainland China.
According to reports, the Japanese Health Ministry has tested little more than 1,700 people on board the cruise liner. The Diamond Princess has 3,700 passengers and crew on board that have been quarantined for close to two weeks.
Late on Sunday, the US used two chartered planes to evacuate 340 out of the 380 Americans aboard the Diamond Princess. Reportedly the US State Department then added that 14 of the passengers on the plane had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Canada announces evacuation
Canada has recently announced that it will be taking steps to evacuate its citizens who are currently stuck on board the coronavirus infected Diamond Princess cruise liner which is docked in Yokohama, Japan. Canada will also 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 coronavirus or have been tested positive will not be allowed aboard the flight.
They will instead be in the care of the Japanese health care system and will receive appropriate care from there. The statement added that after arriving in Canada, all the passengers will undergo a 14-day period of quarantine.
S.Korea announces evacuation
South Korea announced on February 16 that it would evacuate Koreans that were quarantined on a coronavirus infected cruise ship in the Japanese port of Yokohama, according to international media reports. The step was taken after 355 people were found to be infected with the virus. The Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo briefed that the government has decided to bring the Koreans home if they test negative at thermal screenings to be conducted by the Japanese authorities.
(with inputs from agencies)
Updated 07:25 IST, February 18th 2020