Two Indian Crew Members on Diamond Princess Ship Test Positive for Coronavirus - Embassy

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th February, 2020) Two Indian nationals, crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked off Japan's Yokohama, have been confirmed as infected with coronavirus, the Indian embassy in Tokyo said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the embassy said that 132 crew members and 6 passengers out of 3,711 people aboard are Indian nationals.

"As of 13 February 2020, altogether 218 people have tested positive for COVID-19, including 2 (two) Indian crew members. All 218 have been taken to hospitals for adequate treatment - including further quarantine, in accordance with the Japanese health protocol," the embassy said in a statement.

The embassy added that it reached out to its compatriots on board of the ship via emails and telephone.

It also contacted the ship management company, Princess Cruises, and the employer of the six Indian passengers to accelerate their return to their homeland.

The Diamond Princess cruise liner has been under quarantine near the Japanese port of Yokohama since February 3, after a man who got off the boat in Hong Kong tested positive for the virus.

The current death toll from the virus, dubbed COVID-19, exceeds 1,350 with some 60,000 people being infected worldwide. The virus has spread to more than 20 countries since it was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December.