Two COVID-19 patients sailing ship killed in Japan

Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 08:28 am

Two former Diamond Princess coronavirus-wracked passengers have died, local media reported on Thursday as concerns grow over those who left the ship despite having tested negative for the virus.

Advertising A man and a woman who had been infected died in their 80s, said public broadcaster NHK and others, the first fatal cases among the more than 600 on board the cruise.

Both had underlying conditions and were taken off the ship on 11th and 12th February before being treated in hospital, NHK said.

The huge vessel moored in Yokohama near Tokyo is easily the largest coronavirus cluster outside of the Chinese epicenter, with 621 positive cases among the passengers and crew confirmed.

Since testing negative for the COVID-19 virus and not showing symptoms during a 14-day quarantine period, 443 passengers disembarked from the ship Wednesday.

The passengers ‘ complete removal was expected to take a minimum of three days.

On Thursday, more passengers left the ship, leaving in yellow buses and heading home for stations and airports.

Yet questions are increasingly being raised about the wisdom of allowing former passengers of Diamond Princess to roam freely around Japan’s notoriously crowded cities, even if they’ve tested negative.

Except for short trips on deck wearing masks and gloves, passengers were restricted to cabins when told to keep their distance from others.