The health ministry has confirmed that another 41 passengers aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Yokohama port are infected with the new coronavirus -- bringing the total number of those infected nationwide to 86.
Following an examination of those showing symptoms that could match the infection, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry found that 41 people tested positive for the coronavirus.
The number of confirmed infections on board has reached a total of 61 since the cruise liner arrived at Yokohama port Monday night.
After setting sail from Yokohama port on Jan. 20, a man who disembarked at his home port, Hong Kong, was found to have been infected with the coronavirus. Since learning of the infection, the ministry has begun testing the 273 people on board with viral infection symptoms.
The 61 people who have tested positive include 28 Japanese, 11 Americans, seven Australians, seven Canadians, three from Hong Kong, and one each from Taiwan, the Philippines, Argentina, New Zealand and Britain. One of the 61 is a crew member.
The 41 passengers who were diagnosed with coronavirus Friday were taken to medical institutions in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures.
The remaining 3,650 people are required to stay on board the ship at anchor for 14 days, as a matter of principle. They are expected to disembark on Feb. 19 at the earliest.
Taking the views of experts into account, the ministry is considering additional testing for elderly passengers who would become more severely ill should they be infected.
The health ministry confirms an additional 41 passengers aboard the luxury liner, Diamond Princess, have been infected with the new coronavirus.
#MHLW #Yokohama #coronavirus
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
