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Three Indonesian crew on Japan-moored cruise ship test positive for coronavirus
Indonesia’s top diplomat demanded on Tuesday assurances from the Japanese authorities after it emerged that at least three Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan's Tokyo Bay had tested positive for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
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Passengers walk along the deck of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, with around 3,600 people quarantined onboard due to fears of the new COVID-19 coronavirus, at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on Feb. 14. The Diamond Princess cruise ship off Yokohama has become the single largest cluster of cases outside China, with at least 218 testing positive for the COVID-19 virus and taken to medical facilities. (AFP/Charly Triballeu )
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oreign Minister Retno Marsudi demanded on Tuesday assurances from the Japanese authorities after it emerged that at least three Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan's Tokyo Bay had tested positive for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The ship initially had 3,711 people on board when it was placed under mandatory quarantine at a port in Yokohama, Japan, last week over fears of contamination from a passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong last month and who had contracted the virus. Among those on board were 78 Indonesian nationals who worked as part of the ship’s crew and all of whom had a clean bill of health up until Tuesday.
Japan has come under fire for its handling of the situation after the number of confirmed cases rose almost daily among passengers and crew members on board the ship. Japan confirmed on Tuesday that another 446 people had tested positive for the virus, Retno told reporters in Jakarta.
“Based on my last correspondence with the Japanese ambassador in Jakarta, we have obtained information that three of the 78 Indonesian crew members aboard the cruise ship have been declared as confirmed [cases],” she said on the margins of an event welcoming the return of quarantined officials from China’s Hubei province, the epicenter of the virus outbreak.
Two of the three crew members had been rushed to a hospital in nearby Chiba, the minister said, while the last member was waiting to be taken to an unnamed hospital as of midday Tuesday.
“A team from the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo has gone to Chiba to ensure that the Indonesian citizens receive proper treatment from the Japanese authorities,” Retno said.
In a separate meeting with Japanese Ambassador Masafumi Ishii, Retno underscored Jakarta’s request for authorities to tend to the Indonesians on board the Diamond Princess, just as a number of countries announced plans to evacuate their citizens from the ship, including members of the crew.
