Testing aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan has revealed 60 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, media said on Monday (local time), as quarantined passengers took to social media to warn of depression setting in over their confinement.
Coronavirus testing onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. Photo: Twitter / daxa_tw
Monday's figure takes to 130 the number of infections on the ship docked in Yokohama, domestic broadcasters TBS and NHK said, citing Japanese health ministry sources.
The health ministry's communication office had no information on the report when contacted by Reuters.
The Diamond Princess was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on 3 February, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.
About 3700 people are aboard the ship, which usually has a crew of 1100 and a passenger capacity of 2670. Passengers have been allowed on decks in shifts to get fresh air and encouraged to regularly take their temperature.
"Lots of the passengers now are getting a bit of cabin fever," British passenger David Able said in a video posted on Facebook.
"Depression is starting to set in."
Photo: AFP
Another said he hoped assurances about the effectiveness of quarantine and ventilation onboard would prove true.
"I will get nervous if we pass 200," a 43-year-old Hong Kong resident who is quarantined on the boat with his wife, child and several others of his family said.
"Hoping best for those taken to hospital. At least two report back to us on Facebook that they are symptom-free," a man who declined to be identified said.
A passenger on Twitter posted an audio clip of the captain announcing the discovery of 65 new cases.
Inboard announcement 1. February 10 18:29
— だぁ(On board the Diamond Princess / 乗船中) (@daxa_tw) February 10, 2020
Corrected to 65 positives. 60 passengers. 5 crew members.
#DiamondPrincess #CoronavirusOutbreak #2019nCoV #Quarantine pic.twitter.com/gJ4BPHYkqD
Japan's health ministry is separating infection counts on the ship and evacuee flights from China from Japan's official tally. Domestic cases stand at 21.
The disease has killed 908 people, chiefly in mainland China, and infected more than 40,000.
- Reuters
