About 15 Israelis are among about 3,700 passengers trapped on a cruise ship docked in the Japanese port of Yokohama who were placed under quarantine for two weeks after several cases of the Wuhan coronavirus were discovered on board.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that according to Japanese authorities, there are between 15 and 17 Israeli passport holders on board the Diamond Princess, but the lists are not yet verified.
Some 10 coronavirus patients were taken off the ship and transported to hospitals in Japan.
The rest of the passengers will remain in isolation on the ship for 14 days.
A team of Japanese officials were on board the ship and met with each of the passengers to provide food, medicine and any other necessary treatment, the Foreign Ministry underscored.
Samples from 200 more passengers have been taken and authorities are awaiting results. If other passengers come down with coronavirus they will be transferred to a hospital in Japan.
Foreign Ministry officials said they “are in contact with the authorities and families and are closely watching developments.”
It is important to note that at this stage, Israelis are not among those suspected of having the virus, the ministry stressed.
Despite several scares, Israel has yet to contend with a patient suffering from coronavirus, with several people tested for the virus all proving negative.
Israeli authorities have issued several directives aimed at blocking the entry of individuals suffering from coronavirus into the country and its spread among the Israeli population.
Israel understands that it is only a question of time before the virus appears in the country but is taking several measures to minimize this occurrence.
China’s National Health Commission stated Wednesday that at least 24,630 cases of Wuhan coronavirus have been confirmed in the country, and there have been at least 495 deaths so far. Some 1,000 of those who fell ill have recovered.
The coronavirus death rate is two percent, or one death in every 50 cases, but this is a very early estimate.