3,700 trapped aboard cruise ship after coronavirus embarks

Enlarge / YOKOHAMA, Feb. 6, 2020: Diamond Princess, a cruise ship which has been kept in quarantine at the port of Yokohama in Japan. (credit: Getty | Xinhua News Agency )

Over 3,700 people on a luxury cruise ship now docked in Yokohama, Japan, are trapped aboard, with guests confined to their cabins for the remainder of 14-day quarantine after the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) joined them at sea.

According to reports from Japan, health officials there conducted the "first phase" of screening this week, testing 273 people aboard the liner-named Diamond Princess-for the viral respiratory infection, which is currently causing an explosive outbreak in China.

On Tuesday, February 4, officials confirmed that 10 people had tested positive, including two Australian guests, three Japanese guests, three guests from Hong Kong, one American guest, and one Filipino crew member. They were escorted off the ship for treatment at local hospitals. None of the cases are serious, Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu KatA said.

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