The health ministry announced on Thursday that 10 passengers aboard the quarantined cruise ship, Diamond Princess, have become seriously ill. The 10 people have been hospitalized, with eight of them found to be infected with the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is conducting an inspection of all passengers aged 80 or older. If confirmed negative for the virus, those with chronic illnesses will be allowed to disembark from the ship as early as Friday and will be lodged in accommodation facilities provided by the government.
According to the ministry, the 10 severely ill passengers are receiving treatment in intensive care units. Of them, nine are between the ages of early 60s to late 80s.
The number of passengers aboard the cruise ship infected with the virus continues to increase by the day. On Thursday, an additional 44 new cases of the virus were found.
After arriving at the Yokohama Port on the night of Feb. 3, the number of passengers confirmed to have been infected with the virus reached to 3,218, including 110 Japanese.
So far, the ministry has examined people displaying symptoms such as fever or a cough. Many elderly people have fallen ill due to the prolonged quarantine period. Once all of the roughly 200 people in their 80s and over are examined, those with chronic illnesses or those staying in private rooms without windows will be allowed to disembark if they are confirmed negative for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the ministry on Thursday revised its prior announcement that a teen woman was among those infected. It was confirmed that she was actually in her 60s.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
