Coronavirus: 8th Indian tests positive on cruise ship off Japan, says MEA

Amid the panic over travel to and from mainland China, the Ministry clarified that the govt has not imposed any restrictions yet

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that another Indian aboard the quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of infected to eight. 

In the briefing, MEA informed that the government is in touch with the Japanese authorities. The infected Indians have been shifted to a hospital and are responding to medical treatment, and all the other Indians on the cruise are braving the difficult circumstances, said a tweet from the Indian Embassy in Japan.  

Amid the panic over travel to and from mainland China, the  Ministry clarified that the government has not imposed any restrictions yet.

Raveesh Kumar also said that the quarantine period on the ship concluded and the disembarkation period has started. The crew, however, will be kept under observation for the next 14 days. 

Report said two coronavirus patients from the Japanese cruise ship died earlier today. According to broadcaster NHK, a man and a woman in their 80s have succumbed to the infection, but no immediate confirmation was available from the health ministry. These would be the first fatal cases among more than 600 confirmed on the ship.

Passengers wait for transportation after leaving Diamond Princess cruise ship.(Photo: Reuters)

Meanwhile, an Indonesian minister has assured that his country is "committed" to evacuating 74 of its nationals from the Diamond Princess cruise that has been affected by a coronavirus outbreak. Muhadjir Effendy, Indonesia's chief development minister, told reporters that the government is still considering whether to bring them back on a naval vessel or by plane.

Four Indonesians who were part of the crew on the cruise liner were infected with the coronavirus, according to a foreign ministry official.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship on February 3 arrived in Yokohama, near Tokyo, with 3,711 passengers and crew on board. Some 621 people were found to be infected with the deadly virus after it was diagnosed in a man who disembarked last month in Hong Kong. A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and six passengers, were among the 3,711 on board the vessel.