39 additional cases of coronavirus reported on quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship

Thirty-nine more passengers are diagnosed with coronavirus on Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan, as total number of infected jumps to 175 – including a quarantine officer

  • Another 39 people have tested positive for the coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan as of Wednesday
  • One quarantine official is among the newly infected, bringing the total to 175 
  • At least 24 Americans are among the infected 
  • Of the 39 new cases four are in serious condition, Japanese health officials said
  • The ship was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on February 3 after a disembarked passenger was diagnosed 
  • The quarantine will be lifted on February 19 

Another 39 people have tested positive for the coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan including one quarantine official, bringing the total number of people infected on board to 175. 

The health ministry announced Wednesday that the toll of coronavirus-infected passengers has risen yet again and at least 24 Americans are among the diagnosed.  

The Diamond Princess was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on February 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong, was diagnosed with the virus, despite not showing any symptoms on board.

About 3,700 people are aboard the ship, which usually has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670.

Another 39 people have tested positive for the coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan as well as one quarantine official, bringing the total to 175 as of Wednesday

At least 24 Americans are among the infected. The boat is under a two week quarantine which will be lifted on February 19

At least 24 Americans are among the infected. The boat is under a two week quarantine which will be lifted on February 19

Passengers look out from a deck of the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Tuesday

Passengers look out from a deck of the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Tuesday

Kyodo news agency, citing the health ministry, said that of the 39 cases, 10 were crew, 10 were Japanese nationals and the others were from 11 countries including the United States and China. 

Four were in serious condition, media said, quoting Health Minister Katsunobu Kato.

The ministry said tests are being conducted for others who are deemed to need them and it will announce the results later.

The UK-flagged Diamond Princess is managed by Princess Cruise Lines, one of the world’s largest cruise lines and a unit of Carnival Corp.

The government was considering allowing elderly and those with chronic illnesses to disembark before the February 19 target date for ending the quarantine, some media reported, but added it would take time to figure out where they could be sent. 

Kyodo news agency, citing the health ministry, said that of the 39 cases, 10 were crew, 10 were Japanese nationals and the others were from 11 countries including the United States and China

Kyodo news agency, citing the health ministry, said that of the 39 cases, 10 were crew, 10 were Japanese nationals and the others were from 11 countries including the United States and China

There are more than 43,000 cases worldwide so far and more than 1,000 deaths as of Tuesday

There are more than 43,000 cases worldwide so far and more than 1,000 deaths as of Tuesday

As of last week, about 80% of the passengers were aged 60 or over, with 215 in their 80s and 11 in the 90s, the English-language Japan Times newspaper reported. 

As of Monday the death toll for the novel coronavirus, temporarily dubbed 2019-nCoV, surpassed 1,000 on Monday, with at least 42,500 confirmed cases in 24 countries. 

On Monday alone China reported 103 deaths in the Hubei province – the highest toll recorded in any one 24-hour period since the outbreak began in December. Wuhan, the focal point of the disease, is located within the Hubei province.  

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