Published 15:23 IST, February 23rd 2020
COVID-19: 4 Indians on-board Diamond Princess test positive, toll rises to 12
4 Indian crew members of Diamond Princess cruise ship, moored off Japan coast, have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), Indian embassy in Japan informed
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Four Indian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, moored off the Japan coast, have tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Indian embassy in Japan informed on Sunday. The latest additions have taken the total number of Indians infected with the virus on the vessel to 12. The four individuals had undergone tests for the virus along with others still onboard the docked ship.
@IndianEmbTokyo hoped that no additional Indian nationals onboard #DiamondPrincess would test positive for #COVID19. Unfortunately, results received as of 1200 JST include 4 Indian crew members having tested positive. All 12 Indians are responding well to treatment. @MEAIndia
— India in Japanインド大使館 (@IndianEmbTokyo) February 23, 2020
12 Indians infected
The embassy also said that the 12 Indians infected are undergoing treatment and responding well to it. Earlier, eight Indians were tested positive for the COVID-19. On Saturday, the embassy had said that Indians still on board the Diamond Princess will be tested for the virus infection along with others after all the healthy passengers have disembarked.
All Indian nationals, amongst others, onboard #DiamondPrincess will be tested for #COVID19 by Japanese authorities, after all passengers disembarked yesterday. @IndianEmbTokyo sincerely hopes that none will show any sign of #COVID19, enabling further facilitation. @MEAIndia
— India in Japanインド大使館 (@IndianEmbTokyo) February 22, 2020
Steady disembarkations
Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the Diamond Princess after the quarantine period ended last week. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that over 1,000 passengers and crew will remain on board the ship after the disembarkations. On Saturday, around 100 more passengers, who were in close contact with the infected people on board, were allowed the deboard the ship.
The sailing infection
A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and 6 passengers, were among the 3,711 people, onboard the ship when it docked at the Yokohama port, near Tokyo, on February 3. It was quarantined after a passenger who disembarked last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the disease. The ship has the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases outside China. Two former passengers of the ship have also died.
(With PTI inputs)
15:23 IST, February 23rd 2020