The two Sri Lankans on board ‘Diamond Princess’ the cruise ship on quarantine due to risk of Coronavirus infection are currently in good health condition, stated the Sri Lankan Embassy in Japan.

Two Sri Lankans, serving as crew members, are currently aboard the quarantined ship anchored at the Yokohoma Harbor in Japan.

Deputy Ambassador Chandana Weerasena of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Japan mentioned this to Ada Derana today (17).

The Embassy is closely coordinating with the cruise company of the Diamond Princess in regard to the safety of the two Sri Lankans on board who are regularly in contact with their relatives in Sri Lanka, stated the Embassy.

Further, only passengers aboard the ship are allowed to be repatriated through their relevant countries, he further said.

The cruise company will need to complete the 14 day quarantine period to disembark the passengers, which will be by 19 and 20 February. However, the crew members will be quarantined for a further period as per the requirement.

Diamond Princess cruise ship has been held in quarantine in a Japanese port since 3 February. So far, 355 of the roughly 3,700 passengers and crew aboard the vessel have tested positive for the coronavirus, giving it the highest concentration of cases outside China.

American evacuees from the ship left Japan on chartered aircraft that are flying them home this morning.

Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Italy also are sending planes to bring their citizens home.

Presently 454 persons are infected with Coronavirus on this cruise ship and are being treated in Hospitals in Kanagawa prefecture in Japan.

-With inputs from agencies