Passengers on Japanese Cruise Ship Testing Negative to Begin Disembarkation from the 19th

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Japanese government announced that passengers on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," where a large number of COVID-19 cases were confirmed, who tested negative for the virus will begin disembarking from the 19th.

According to Japanese local media such as Kyodo News, on the 18th, Kato Katsunobu, Japan's Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, stated at a press conference following a cabinet meeting that all specimens from passengers aboard the Diamond Princess, which is docked and quarantined in Yokohama, had been collected by the previous day. Passengers who tested negative will be allowed to disembark starting on the 19th. The complete disembarkation of all passengers is expected by the 21st. However, those who shared cabins with infected individuals are expected to have their disembarkation delayed for further health monitoring, even if their test results are negative, based on expert opinions.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also plans to conduct virus tests on all crew members aboard the cruise ship and allow those who test negative to disembark. However, the decision regarding crew members' disembarkation will be left to the discretion of the cruise operator, Carnival Corporation. The Diamond Princess, which arrived at Yokohama Port on the 3rd, had a total of 3,711 people on board, including 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members.

Among them, 454 passengers and crew members who were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 by the previous day were transferred to medical institutions, and 338 U.S. nationals disembarked on the 16th and returned to the United States on a chartered flight provided by the U.S. government.