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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 |
(32 minutes 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 were 78 British nationals on board the Diamond Princess cruise liner when it 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 - which was carrying 3,700 passengers - have tested positive for the condition. It is the largest cluster of cases outside China. | More than 620 people onboard the cruise ship - which was carrying 3,700 passengers - have tested positive for the condition. It is the largest cluster of cases outside China. |
Two passengers from the ship have now died. The Japanese citizens were in their 80s and had underlying health conditions, local media said. | Two passengers from the ship have now died. The Japanese citizens were in their 80s and had underlying health conditions, local media said. |
On Wednesday, when the two-week quarantine period on the liner expired, officials allowed passengers who had tested negative for the virus to disembark. | On Wednesday, when the two-week quarantine period on the liner 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, one of the British passengers who has tested positive for the virus, David Abel, has posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed in Japan. | Meanwhile, one of the British passengers who has tested positive for the virus, David Abel, has posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed in Japan. |
Mr Abel, who had been giving regular updates from the ship via social media, revealed earlier this week that he and his wife Sally had both been told they had the virus. | Mr Abel, who had been giving regular updates from the ship via social media, revealed earlier this week that he and his wife Sally had both been told they had the virus. |
In a Facebook post on Thursday, he wrote that the couple had arrived at a "lovely hospital" and they had both had "a full health inspection". | |
He said they will have further tests, including a chest X-ray, on Friday, adding they were in "the best place". | He said they will have further tests, including a chest X-ray, on Friday, adding they were in "the best place". |
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 coronavirus, 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 coronavirus, 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: |