Coronavirus tests eyed for all 3,600 aboard cruise ship

February 10, 2020

Tokyo--Japan's health minister Katsunobu Kato said Monday a study is under way on a plan to conduct coronavirus tests for all of some 3,600 passengers and crew members of a cruise ship quarantined off the country when they get off the ship.

An increasing number of people from the ship, the Diamond Princess, are confirmed to have the new coronavirus that originated in Wuhan in China's Hubei Province.

The virus tests would be carried out on Feb. 19 or later, after the end of the 14-day period in which the passengers and crew members remain under surveillance for any signs of infection. They would be allowed to disembark from the cruise ship after the results of the tests become available.

Kato said that the health ministry will seek cooperation from private-sector medical checkup service companies and universities in conducting the coronavirus tests.

"With people on the cruise ship found to be infected with the virus, we've received calls for health checkups to be conducted again," he said, adding, "We're ready to firmly respond to concerns among the public." Jiji Press