More than 7,000 held on two cruise ships as coronavirus spreads

Bloomberg

Luxury Asian vacations turned into a form of confinement for thousands of cruise passengers when authorities in Hong Kong and Japan said they would quarantine those aboard for up to two weeks after finding coronavirus infections aboard.
The developments will come as a blow to Princess Cruises, the operator of a vessel that is being quarantined off Yokohama, and to World Dream, which manages the ship being held off Hong Kong.
Ten people on the Diamond Princess, which has about 3,700 crew and passengers aboard, have tested positive for the new coronavirus and been taken to hospital, Japan’s Health Ministry said. The ship had been moored off Yokohama and moved further out to sea.
A total of 273 people on the Diamond Princess are to be tested. The 10 positive tests were found among 31 tests whose results have already come through, the Japanese ministry said. All passengers and crew will be required to stay aboard apart from those who are hospitalised, and passengers will be asked to stay in their rooms. “Checking the health of the passengers and crew is our priority, while we will also do all possible to prevent any spread of the infection,” PM Shinzo Abe told parliament. “The remaining passengers and crew will not be allowed to come ashore for the time being.”
A similar number of people are under quarantine aboard the World Dream after three people infected with coronavirus were found to have been passengers, Hong Kong authorities said.
The novel coronavirus first emerged in China’s Hubei province weeks ago, and more than 20,600 cases have now been reported.