(File Photo from: Alpsdake – This file has been extracted from another file: Diamond Princess (ship, 2004) and Port of Toba.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday, February 17 said that the number of Filipinos onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess who tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has climbed to 27.
According to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, there are 16 new confirmed cases that were reported on Saturday, February 15.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Philippine Embassy, in Tokyo reports that as of 16 February 2020, the number of Filipinos on board who have tested positive for COVID-19 is at 27. This includes 16 new cases confirmed on Saturday, 15 February,” the statement read on Monday.
The 27 Filipinos who tested positive for the virus that started in Wuhan City, China, were all crew members of the ship. The cruise ship also holds 500 Filipino crew members.
With 356 individuals who tested positive from the virus inside the cruise ship that was reported since February 3, it is the largest concentration of the novel coronavirus infected cases outside of mainland China
“The Embassy is in close coordination with the relevant Philippine and Japanese government agencies, and representatives of the World Health Organization and Princess Cruises to ensure that the needs of the Filipino crew and passengers are met and to facilitate their return to the Philippines,” the DFA said.
On Sunday, the Japanese Government confirmed 70 new cases in the cruise ship, however, no Filipinos were included.
The cruise ship is currently docked at Yokohama, Japan since February 3 and its 3,700 passengers are on a mandatory quarantine inside their cabins for two weeks.
According to the Japanese Health Ministry, starting February 17, all crew members and passengers of the Diamond Princess Cruise ship will be tested so that the results will be available once the quarantine ends on February 19.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Sunday that there is a possibility that the Filipinos aboard the ship will be evacuated.
The Health Secretary is in preliminary talks with Magsaysay Maritime Corporation who handles the Filipino crew members on the ship.