The Diamond Princess cruise ship's operator, Princess Cruise Line, confirmed on Monday that there are now 135 people on board the ship who tested positive of the Wuhan coronavirus. It is also worth noting that not all of the passengers have been tested yet.
A Timeline of Events Since the First Confirmed Coronavirus Case
On February 1, a Hong Kong hospital confirmed a patient tested positive of the Wuhan coronavirus. The said man was on board the Diamond Princess where he did not drop by the ship's medical center for symptom-checking.
According to the statement on Princess Cruises' official website, the ship was scheduled to return from a two-week itinerary on February 4 but the case of the patient previously on board the ship prompted the Japanese authorities to run tests on passengers, delaying the ship's Yokohama turnaround.
The cruise ship has been quarantined since then, with the first 10 cases testing positive of the coronavirus having been transported to Japanese health facilities.
Earlier Monday, the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said it was mulling whether everyone on board the Diamond Princess, roughly 3,600 people, should be tested after the lockdown ends on February 19, the Japan Times reported.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also noted that testing for potential Wuhan coronavirus infection will be focused for now on the elderly and those who have some of the symptoms.
As of Monday, only 336 people on board have been tested. If the Diamond Princess' confirmed infections are added to Japan's current coronavirus infected patients toll, the country now has over 150 cases.
Over 20 Americans Infected
By late Monday, the health ministry said at least 24 Americans on board the ship have tested positive of the 2019-nCoV. According to CNN, there are 428 Americans quarantined inside the cruise ship.
Despite growing anxiety among passengers as the infection toll hikes, Princess Cruises has increased the internet bandwidth to ensure that those on board can still speak with their families.
The guests are also allowed to use social media platforms to pass off time as they wait for more details on the case and they await the final day of quarantine.
Quarantined Passengers Hoarding Food and Beverages amid Growing Fears
In an interview with Business Insider, a guest on board the ship who asked to be identified as Shannon, revealed that she was "hoarding" both food and water as an assurance measure should no stocks come around as the quarantine ensues.
Shannon also expressed worries for the passengers in the Diamond Princess' cheaper rooms where there were no balconies to breathe some air. Some photos obtained by news outlets show guests breathing some air from their balconies but it is unclear how those in economy suites are faring.
Passenger Talks of 'Distressing' Experience under Lockdown
Speaking with the TIME Magazine, 75-year-old Gay Courter, a writer from Florida, said February 10 was the "most distressing" of all days since the Diamond Princess was placed under lockdown.
Courter's statements came after learning that there were 66 more coronavirus cases on board the ship. She said at the time of the interview that there were around 30 ambulances waiting to transport infected passengers.
It was also February 10 when workers were spotted covering a gangway off the cruise ship, as in efforts to protect the privacy of infected passengers who will be transported to hospitals for treatment.
Elderly may be Allowed to Exit Quarantined Ship
Meanwhile, a source with knowledge of the matter revealed on Tuesday that the Japanese government is considering to allow the exit of elderly passengers from the Diamond Princess.
According to the Japan Times, the source added that the government is also looking at the possibility of allowing passengers with chronic conditions to also leave the locked-down cruise ship.
It remains to be seen whether a decision will be made as soon as possible following head of nonprofit Medical Governance Research Institute Masahiro Kami pointed out that people with chronic illnesses and the elderly may be more vulnerable to sickness or the coronavirus if they are contained in less spacious areas.
