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| Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to be flown home | Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to be flown home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Britons stranded on a quarantined cruise ship in Japan will be able to board an evacuation flight home on Friday, the foreign secretary has said. | Britons stranded on a quarantined cruise ship in Japan will be able to board an evacuation flight home on Friday, the foreign secretary has said. |
| Only those who are showing no signs of illness will be able to travel, and they will be quarantined on their return to the UK, it is understood. | Only those who are showing no signs of illness will be able to travel, and they will be quarantined on their return to the UK, it is understood. |
| Those who have tested positive will remain in Japan for treatment. | Those who have tested positive will remain in Japan for treatment. |
| Dominic Raab said the flight would be from Tokyo, and urged any other Britons who wanted to leave to get in touch. | Dominic Raab said the flight would be from Tokyo, and urged any other Britons who wanted to leave to get in touch. |
| There are 74 British nationals on the Diamond Princess cruise liner, which was quarantined on 5 February after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was found to have the virus. | |
| More than 620 people onboard the cruise ship have contracted the virus - it was carrying a total of 3,700 passengers. It is the largest cluster of cases outside China. | More than 620 people onboard the cruise ship have contracted the virus - it was carrying a total of 3,700 passengers. It is the largest cluster of cases outside China. |
| On Wednesday, when the two-week quarantine period expired, officials allowed passengers who had tested negative for the virus to disembark. | On Wednesday, when the two-week quarantine period expired, officials allowed passengers who had tested negative for the virus to disembark. |
| The Foreign Office advised all UK nationals to stay onboard until it organised an evacuation flight for them, warning there could be administrative problems if they left the ship. | The Foreign Office advised all UK nationals to stay onboard until it organised an evacuation flight for them, warning there could be administrative problems if they left the ship. |
| Confirming that a flight had been organised, Dominic Raab said in a statement: "Details have been sent to those who have registered for the flight. We urge other British nationals still seeking to leave to contact us," he said. | Confirming that a flight had been organised, Dominic Raab said in a statement: "Details have been sent to those who have registered for the flight. We urge other British nationals still seeking to leave to contact us," he said. |
| "We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan." | "We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan." |
| Those returning from the ship will spend 14 days at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, where two groups of people travelling from China have already been taken. | Those returning from the ship will spend 14 days at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, where two groups of people travelling from China have already been taken. |
| "There is no risk to the public, and the hospital will continue to run as normal," the Department of Health said. | "There is no risk to the public, and the hospital will continue to run as normal," the Department of Health said. |
| Meanwhile, British couple David and Sally Abel, from Northampton, are expected to remain in Japan after testing positive for the virus. | Meanwhile, British couple David and Sally Abel, from Northampton, are expected to remain in Japan after testing positive for the virus. |
| Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, their son, Steve Abel, said he feared his parents would be separated. | Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, their son, Steve Abel, said he feared his parents would be separated. |
| His father had early-onset dementia, he said, and the couple needed to be together. | His father had early-onset dementia, he said, and the couple needed to be together. |
| Earlier this week, another British passenger on board the ship, Elaine Spencer, said she had been "very disappointed" with the UK government's initial response and said a rescue flight should have been organised sooner. | Earlier this week, another British passenger on board the ship, Elaine Spencer, said she had been "very disappointed" with the UK government's initial response and said a rescue flight should have been organised sooner. |
| It comes as Alan Steele, a British honeymooner diagnosed with coronavirus on the cruise ship, announced on Facebook that he had left hospital. | It comes as Alan Steele, a British honeymooner diagnosed with coronavirus on the cruise ship, announced on Facebook that he had left hospital. |
| Mr Steele said he is in a hotel in Yokohama and has been told he will need to spend two weeks in quarantine when he returns to the UK. | Mr Steele said he is in a hotel in Yokohama and has been told he will need to spend two weeks in quarantine when he returns to the UK. |
| Japan has faced criticism over its handling of the outbreak, with one health expert calling the situation onboard "completely chaotic". | Japan has faced criticism over its handling of the outbreak, with one health expert calling the situation onboard "completely chaotic". |
| Covid-19 - the illness brought on by the coronavirus - has now claimed 2,004 lives in China, according to the latest Chinese data released on Wednesday. | Covid-19 - the illness brought on by the coronavirus - has now claimed 2,004 lives in China, according to the latest Chinese data released on Wednesday. |
| There have been 74,185 confirmed infections recorded in mainland China and about 700 cases in other countries. | There have been 74,185 confirmed infections recorded in mainland China and about 700 cases in other countries. |
| The Foreign Office is advising affected British nationals to call the British embassy in Tokyo on +81 3 5211 1100. | The Foreign Office is advising affected British nationals to call the British embassy in Tokyo on +81 3 5211 1100. |
| In the UK, a total of 5,216 people had been tested for cornoavirus, as of Wednesday at 14:00 GMT. Only nine people have tested positive and the rest have been confirmed negative. | In the UK, a total of 5,216 people had been tested for cornoavirus, as of Wednesday at 14:00 GMT. Only nine people have tested positive and the rest have been confirmed negative. |
| Have you been affected by what's happening on the Diamond Princess cruise ship? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by what's happening on the Diamond Princess cruise ship? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or please use the form below: | Or please use the form below: |