Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Italy plan to pick up their compatriots from cruise ship Diamond Princess in Japan. The ship has been in quarantine since 3 February due to an outbreak of the coronavirus on board. Right now, some 450 people are infected.
The United States already picked up hundreds of citizens on Sunday 16 February. Hong Kong will repatriate at least 330 people and Australia 200. It is not yet known how many Canadians and South Koreans will be repatriated. On board are 35 Italians.
More quarantine measures in home countries
As soon as the quarantine time of the ship is over on Wednesday 19 February and the people in Japan are allowed ashore, they will be tested again. After that they will be flown back with special charter flights. Once they arrive in their own country, the ex-cruise passengers have to spend another fourteen days in quarantine.
About 450 people infected
On the Diamond Princess, 3700 passengers have been in quarantine since 3 February, including five Dutch nationals. Some 450 persons on board are infected with the coronavirus. The number of infections worldwide is only higher in China.
Source: ANP
