4 more Indians on Japan ship test +ive for Covid19 DGCA widens virus screening at airports

Four more Indian nationals, all members of the crew of the Covid19 disease-stricken cruise ship Diamond Princess berthed at Yokohama in Japan, have tested positive for the disease, the Indian Embassy in Tokyo announced on Sunday afternoon.

The Indian Embassy tweeted that it had hoped that no additional Indian nationals onboard Diamond Princess would test positive for Covid19. “Unfortunately, results received at noon, JST (Japan Standard Time on Sunday) include four Indian crew members having tested positive,” the Embassy said.

Sunday’s addition of Indian victims to the disease from among those aboard the ship, takes the total number of Indian nationals who contracted the disease to 12. “All 12 Indians are responding well to treatment,” the Embassy said.

It also said that Japanese authorities confirmed that samples from all onboard the ship were collected for tests and were being processed. “All results expected by February 25 or 26, Indian nationals on the ship, who would not test positive, will be facilitated Indian Embassy in Tokyo soon after,” it said.

A total of 130 Indian nationals were onboard the ship when it docked at Yokohama earlier this month. Of these six were passengers and the rest are members of the ship’s crew. Twenty foreign nationals were allowed off who tested positive. Around 1,000 passengers who disembarked and are in the country are a cause for concern.

In a bid to prevent spread of Covid19 in India, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday ordered to expand the universal screening of passengers to those arriving in flights from Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Screening of passengers coming from these four countries will be in addition to the existing screening of flights coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore.

“Universal screening of passengers coming from Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia and besides the flight from coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore shall be ensured immediately once they step out of the specific locations at all the airports and getting the self-declaration form filled by the passengers as per the instructions of the health and family welfare ministry,” the DGCA notification said.

The DGCA has also asked all airlines to make in-flight announcement in flights coming from these countries and ensure strict compliance.

The death toll due to the Covid19 in China has touched 2,345 with 109 more fatalities reported.