https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/more-wuhan-evacuations-likely-as...Ten people including two Aussies aboard a cruise liner docked in the Japanese port of Yokohama have tested positive for coronavirus.
There are about 3700 passengers - including more than 200 Australians - and crew aboard the Diamond Princess, and fears the infection figure could rise as screening of thousands of passengers and crew continued.
The 10 confirmed cases, who are being taken ashore and transported to local Japanese hospitals, were among 31 results from 273 people tested so far.
Health officials were testing people who had shown symptoms such as fevers or those who had been in close contact with such people, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The health checks began on Monday evening after an 80-year-old Hong Kong man who sailed on the vessel last month tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus.
Photographs and video posted on Twitter showed masked health workers clad in blue plastic gowns walking down empty corridors on the Diamond Princess as well as views of deserted lounges and a barren deck.
Carnival’s Princess Cruises Japan said on Tuesday that cruises scheduled to depart from Yokohama and the western Japanese port of Kobe this week would be cancelled because of delays related to the coronavirus checks.
British passenger David Abel was among the passengers quarantined on board the cruise ship.
In a message to Storyful, Mr Abel said blood samples were being analyzed.
“Results will be known around 1 am local time and an announcement will be made at 8am,” Mr Abel told Storyful.
“The cruise that should have commenced yesterday has been cancelled and we are anchored in the bay, not able to get ashore. Quarantine could be anything from 24 hours to 14 days.”
Pictures taken by Mr Abel also showed the just a few people scattered throughout the cruise ship’s spacious interior.
Unstaffed reception desks could be seen in what Mr Abel described as “usually a busy thoroughfare”, while quarantine officials could be seen wearing face masks on deck five.
crikey anyone booked on a cruise anytime soon????...