44 more COVID-19 cases on Japan ship: Health minister
13 February, 2020
Another 44 people up to speed a cruise ship moored off Japan's coast have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the country's health minister said Thursday (Feb 13).
Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said the 44 new cases were from another 221 new tests. They raise the number of infections detected on the Diamond Princess to 218, and a quarantine officer who also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Kato said authorities now want to move elderly persons off the ship if indeed they test negative for the virus, offering to place them in government-designated lodging.
"We wish to start out the operation from tomorrow or later," Kato told reporters.
Of the newly diagnosed infections, 43 are passengers, and one an associate of the crew.
The Diamond Princess has been moored off Japan since Feb 3, after it emerged a former passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong last month had tested positive for the virus now named COVID-19.
The ship was put into quarantine shortly afterwards and authorities have asked passengers and crew to stay up to speed until Feb 19.
Those who have tested positive for the new virus have been removed the ship to medical facilities, but questions have already been raised about if the quarantine on the ship is working, with a large number of new cases diagnosed daily.
Passengers are confined to cabins and necessary to wear masks and keep their distance from one another if they are allowed out for brief periods on open decks.
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