Diamond Princess Coronavirus Quarantine to End February 19

An additional 41 people onboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the latest update from the cruise line. Additionally, the Japanese Ministry of Health has announced that, barring any further unforeseen developments, the ship’s quarantine in Yokohama will end February 19. 

The nationalities of the newly confirmed coronavirus cases are as follows: Argentina (one); Australia (five); Canada (five), Japan (21); United Kingdom (one) and United States (eight).  

This batch is the last onboard the ship to be tested for the virus, Japanese health officials have confirmed. 

During the remainder of the quarantine, guests will continue to be provided complimentary internet and telephone service, Princess Cruises said. Additionally, the cruise line has additional live TV channels available and a large selection of in-room movies available in multiple languages. The cruise activities staff is also packaging games, puzzles and trivia and delivering them to guest staterooms.

Princess Cruises has set up a series of regional hotlines for the immediate family of guests onboard the ship: 

  • North America: 800-693-7222
  • Australia: 1-300-026-240
  • New Zealand: 0800-002141
  • United Kingdom: 0-800-014-8339
  • Japan: 0800-170-6282
  • Immediate family assistance (anyone from any country, including guests onboard can call): 872-201-5236

On February 4 the Diamond Princess had arrived in Yokohama early from a 14-day round trip itinerary, which had departed on January 20. On that voyage, a guest from Hong Kong had embarked in Yokohama on January 20, sailed one segment of the itinerary and disembarked in Hong Kong on January 25. On February 1, he visited a local hospital in Hong Kong, where he tested positive for coronavirus. After that, the Diamond Princess was held in Yokohama so that Japanese health authorities could carry out tests on guests and crew onboard. 

The ship’s February 12 cruise has been cancelled, and Princess has begun notifying affected guests. 

There are currently over 28,000 cases of coronavirus in 25 countries worldwide, according to the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO). Five hundred and sixty-five people have died from the illness thus far, all but one in China. 

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