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Coronavirus news – live: Japan struggles to defend cruise ship response after highest number of cases after China reported on board

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Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 19 February 2020 07:50 EST
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Eight patients who tested positive for coronavirus released from hospital

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Britons quarantined on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan will be evacuated “as soon as possible,” the government has announced.

“We hope the flight will be later this week,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said, as some passengers were allowed to leave the ship after two weeks in isolation.

It came as the death toll from the virus, known as Covid-19, passed 2,000 in mainland China, with over 74,000 cases reported.

Follow the latest updates

Some 781 guests who disembarked from the Westerdam cruise ship in Cambodia have tested negative for coronavirus, Holland America said.

Testing of passengers is now complete while testing of 747 crew members is expected to continue for the next few days, the company added.

Samuel Osborne19 February 2020 15:27

Two Iranians have died in hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus in Qom, the head of the city's University of Medical Sciences has told the Mehr news agency.

"Two Iranians, who tested positive earlier today for new coronavirus, died of respiratory illness," the official told Mehr.

Samuel Osborne19 February 2020 15:57

British passengers on a cruise ship in Japan will be quarantined at accommodation at Arrowe Park once they are flown back to the UK.

The Foreign Office is working to organise a repatriation flight for British people currently on the Diamond Princess.

In a letter to staff, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust said: "Following the successful management of two previous groups of repatriated British citizens, from Wuhan in China, Arrowe Park has been asked to host the Britons from Japan and look after them throughout their quarantine period.

"We are still waiting for final confirmation of how many will be joining us but we wanted you to be aware of the situation as soon as we could."

 A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We can confirm that an accommodation block on the Arrowe Park NHS site will be used to isolate those returning from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

"They will be kept in this location for the 14-day quarantine period, with around-the-clock support from medical staff at all times.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank NHS and PHE staff who have continued to provide world-class care, as well as the wider Wirral community for their understanding and support.

"There is no risk to the public, and the hospital will continue to run as normal."

Samuel Osborne19 February 2020 16:03

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