US to evacuate its citizens from virus-hit cruise ship

Bloomberg

The US will evacuate its citizens from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that’s been quarantined in Japan, according to a statement on the American embassy in Japan’s website.
The Department of State will provide chartered aircraft to bring American passengers and crew back to the US. The ship is the largest infection cluster outside China.
An additional 67 cases have been found on board, Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said.
The aircraft will arrive on the evening of February 16 and will transport the passengers first to Travis Air Force Base in California, and some may be moved to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. They will undergo a two-week quarantine.
Japan said in a statement it’s coordinating with the US over the evacuation and “appreciates such measures,” which will help mitigate its burden regarding the medical response to passengers on the ship.
Dow Jones reported the news earlier, citing an official at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are about 380 Americans on board the cruise ship, according to the report.
“We recognise this has been a stressful experience and we remain dedicated to providing all the support we can,” the embassy said in the notice on its website.
As of February 13, there were 218 infections aboard Carnival Corp’s Diamond Princess.