US evacuates from Japan virus ship as death toll climbs

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:04:58 +0000

MV Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at the Daikaku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan. (AFP)

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AFP) – The US flew home its citizens from a coronavirus-infected cruise ship in Japan yesterday, with other nations preparing to follow suit as global concerns grow over the spread of the disease and the death toll at its Chinese epicenter topped 1,700.

More than 70,500 have been infected across China by the COVID-19 virus as the world battles to contain the outbreak that has sparked panic buying and jitters over the global economic impact.

Outside China, the biggest cluster of infections is on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Yokohama, where coronavirus cases have climbed quickly to 355 despite passengers being confined to their cabins during a 14-day quarantine.

And amid growing criticism of Japan’s handling of the ship, governments are scrambling to repatriate their citizens, with Canada, Australia, Italy, Israel, and Hong Kong poised to follow Washington’s lead.

In the early hours yesterday morning, a convoy of buses driven by people in head-to-toe protective suits removed American passengers from the ship after a makeshift passport control.

There were no health checks at that poin
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