Karwar youth onboard Japan cruise ship seeks help to return home; 60 more nCoV cases detected

Tokyo/Karwar: Around 60 more people on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship moored off Japan have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus, national broadcaster NHK said on Monday.

Other local media also reported approximately 60 more cases had been confirmed, raising the number of infected passengers and crew to around 130. Health ministry officials declined immediate comment.

Meanwhile a youth hailing from Karwar who happens to be onboard the quarantined ship has sought assistance from Indian government to return home.

The youth, Abhishek contacted his parents and urged them to help him get back home. In his appeal, he said that he along with other unaffected passengers have been restrained from disembarking the cruise ship.

His parents have submitted a memorandum to Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner to ensure the safe return of their son.

“The ship has been quarantined since February 5 and will continue to remain so till February 20. All the passengers and crew members on board have to follow the health and safety regulations put in place by the Japanese Ministry of Health,” informed an officer at Indian embassy.