Indian nationals still on cruise ship to be tested for coronavirus: Embassy

Indians, who are still onboard a cruise ship moored off the Japanese coast, will be tested for the coronavirus infection along with others on the vessel by the Japanese authorities, the Indian embassy said on Saturday (February 22) as all the healthy passengers deboarded after the quarantine period ended.

The last batch of passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease deboarded the ship, Diamond Princess, on Friday (February 21) after the end of the quarantine period.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said over 1,000 passengers and crew will remain on board the ship after Friday’s disembarkations.

A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and 6 passengers, were among the 3,711 people onboard the ship when it docked. “All Indian nationals, amongst others, onboard Diamond Princess will be tested for COVID-19 by Japanese authorities, after all passengers disembarked yesterday (Friday),” the embassy tweeted.

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

“@IndianEmbTokyo sincerely hopes that none will show any sign of #COVID19, enabling further facilitation,” it said.

Till now, eight Indians have tested positive for the COVID-19 and are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Japan. The condition of the infected Indians is improving, the embassy said.

“No additional new cases in respect of Indian nationals testing positive for COVID-19 since yesterday (Friday) onboard Diamond Princess,” it tweeted.

As of 1000 JST, no additional new cases in respect of Indian nationals testing positive for #COVID19 since yesterday onboard #DiamondPrincess. @IndianEmbTokyo keeps itself updated with the conditions of 8 Indian nationals, earlier tested positive, who are improving. @MEAIndia

— India in Japanインド大使館 (@IndianEmbTokyo) February 22, 2020

The ship docked at the Yokohama port near Tokyo on February 3 with 3,711 passengers and crew onboard. It was quarantined after a passenger who disembarked last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the disease.

Some of the passengers with no infection began leaving the ship on Wednesday (February 19) after the end of a two-week quarantine period that failed to stop the spread of the virus among passengers and crew.

The ship has the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases outside China. A total of 634 people tested positive for the disease. Two former passengers of the ship have also died.

The death toll in China’s coronavirus climbed to 2,345 with 109 more deaths reported, while the confirmed cases rose to 76,288, Chinese health officials said on Saturday.

A team of WHO experts, which is currently in the country to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak, is expected to visit the worst-affected Wuhan city on Saturday.