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Ten more virus infections on cruise ship in Japan

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Ten more people on a quarantined cruise liner in the port of Yokohama south of Tokyo have tested positive for coronavirus, the health ministry said on Thursday.

About 3 700 people are facing at least two weeks quarantine on the Diamond Princess ship after 10 people were initially confirmed with the virus and moved to medical facilities.

The total number of coronavirus patients in Japan is now 45.

Carnival’s Diamond Princess was caught up in the global coronavirus epidemic after an 80-year-old Hong Kong man tested positive for the virus after disembarking late last month.

The ship arrived in Yokohama on Monday after a 14-day round trip.

One passenger said the vessel docked in the port to take on supplies, as food delivery to rooms was slow.

“It’s surprising how the ship that was turning out 5 000 gourmet meals three times a day has found it difficult to deliver sandwiches and one hot meal. Where did they put the Escargot and sushi?,” Gay Courter, a 75-year-old American novel writer told Reuters.

“Of course our biggest worry is that we have been infected at some point,” she said.

“We are hopeful that the US government will be sending transport for the Americans on board it’s better for us to travel while healthy and also if we get sick to be treated in American hospitals.”

Another passenger using the handle @daxa_tw tweeted early Thursday morning that crew members handed out medication refill request forms for those in need of medicines.

The city of Naha in Okinawa Prefecture is on high alert after about 13 passengers left the cruise ship on Saturday when it was docked in the town, Japan Times reported. They did not return to the vessel, according to the newspaper.

Officials and experts in Tokyo have said that the outbreak may impact the 2020 Games starting in July.

Another 73 people on the Chinese mainland died on Wednesday from the coronavirus outbreak, the highest daily increase so far, bringing the total death toll to 563, the country’s health authority said on Thursday.

The National Health Commission said another 3 694 coronavirus cases were reported throughout the country on February 5, bringing the total to 28 018.

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