One more Taiwanese on cruise liner confirmed with coronavirus
ROC Central News Agency
02/19/2020 08:08 PM
Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) One more Taiwanese national aboard the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise liner moored in Yokohama Harbor in Japan was confirmed as having been infected with COVID-19 coronavirus, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Ho Chi-kung (何啟功) said on Wednesday.
The Japanese authorities informed the government of the fifth COVID-19 case involving Taiwanese nationals aboard the vessel, but personal information of the individual was not available, Ho told a news conference.
The news came at a time when the first batch of about 500 people who tested negative for the disease began disembarking following a 14-day quarantine period since Feb. 5.
Five Taiwanese passengers were among the first group of people allowed off the cruise liner. They were in tears when they were greeted by Taiwan's envoy to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) in a passenger waiting room. They were later taken to a hotel.
As of Wednesday evening, 18 Taiwanese passengers and two crew members remained on the Diamond Princes, waiting to disembark.
The Diamond Princess had so far confirmed 621 cases out of 3,700 people -- the largest cluster infection apart from the virus epicenter in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is planning to send a charter to fly back its citizens from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Friday or later.
According to Minister of Transportation and Communication Lin Chia-long (林佳龍), China Airlines will provide the flight.
After arriving in Taiwan, they will first be examined in two or three hospitals and will then be sent to anti-contamination centers if their test results prove negative two times.
(By Flor Wang and Chen Wei-ting)
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