4 More Pinoys in Quarantined Ship Test Positive for nCoV

Four more Filipinos onboard the quarantined cruise ship in Japan tested positive for the 2019-novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD), the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Monday.

The agency said the four, who were among six-newly confirmed cases of the virus, are now being treated in a hospital.

“The DFA, through the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo confirms that four other Filipinos aboard Diamond Princess tested positive for the novel coronavirus yesterday, 9 February 2020, bringing to five the number of positive cases,” it said in a statement.

The agency reported last week the first Filipino 2019-nCoV case inside the ship.

In a recent statement, Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Robespierre Bolivar said the Filipino is “responding positively” to treatment.

There are more than 500 Filipinos still onboard the vessel, which is docked off the port of Yokohama, Japan since February 4.

As of posting, the embassy is closely coordinating with Japanese authorities and is in constant communication with the Filipinos still inside the ship to provide them assistance.

The Japanese Health Ministry said the ship would remain under the mandatory 14-day quarantine period until February 19. (PNA)