Coronavirus Update: Filipinos, Indians, Chinese among the quarantined aboard cruise ship

The Diamond Princess is docked and quarantined in Yokohama, Japan.

Along with the 2,666 passengers quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan are 538 Filipino crew members, over half of the total number of crew of the Diamond Princess.

Passengers and crew have been isolated because some passengers and crew members have been found to have the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, Chana.

Four crew members, all Filipino, are among the new cases of the cirus since the ship was docked on Feb. 4, said the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs in a statement issued Monday, Feb. 10.

Sixty-one passengers aboard the Diamond Princess have also tested positive for the coronavirus, a dramatic rise from the original 10 cases that caused the Japanese government to quarantined the vessel. Among the 10 infected included 3 Japanese, 3 Chinese, 2 Australians, an American, and a Filipino.

"The Philippine embassy in Tokyo is closely and actively monitoring the welfare of Filipinos onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which is currently docked off the port of Yokohama, Japan, under a quarantine implemented by the Japanese government," the DFA said. 

The Indian Embassy here on Tuesday also said it was in touch with the 138 Indian nationals.

"There are a total of 138 Indian nationals on the ship. The Indian Embassy is in touch with them," the official said, adding that the Indians on the ship have not been tested for coronavirus.

Those on the ship have been asked to wear masks and allowed limited access to the open decks as they are advised to remain in the cabins most of the times to contain the spread of the virus, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, the operator of the ship on Monday vowed to refund all 2,666 passengers the cost of their cruise. Princess Lines also announced that  it will modify several scheduled cruise itineraries by removing Shanghai and Hong Kong as ports of call. ..

As of Monday (Feb. 10) , the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 1,016 with 108 new fatalities reported mostly in the worst-affected Hubei province while the confirmed cases of infection have soared to 42,638.

Outside China, there have been more than 350 infections reported in almost 30 places with two deaths, one in the Philippines and the other in Hong Kong. There were about 13 reported cases in the US. 

Special chartered flights carrying hundreds of US citizens from Wuhan, China have quarantined the passengers on two military bases in California. Those evacuees, many of whom are Asian Americans) who were quarantined at March Air Force Base will be released today (Feb. 11).

Uupdated Feb. 11, 9:15 a.m. to include March AFB info.)