100 passengers in close contact with infected leave Japan ship

Japan’s health minister Katsunobu Kato delivers a speech during a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo. Some 100 passengers have been allowed to leave the ship on Saturday (Feb 22) after testing negative for the disease and many have returned to their home countries to face further quarantine. - AFP

TOKYO: Some 100 passengers who were in close contact with infected people on board began disembarking from the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship on Saturday (Feb 22), local media said.

They included the last batch of Japanese passengers to leave the ship while some foreign passengers were still waiting on board for chartered aircraft to be sent by their governments. Around 970 passengers disembarked earlier this week.