Fourth person from quarantined ship dies

Tokyo, Feb. 25: A fourth person has died in Japan after becoming ill aboard a Covid-19-stricken cruise ship, local media reported Tuesday, as the government unveiled a new policy to tackle the outbreak. Nearly 700 people on board the Diamond Princess, which spent two weeks quarantined off Japan, have so far tested positive for the virus.

Four people who were hospitalised after being taken off the ship have died, the latest a man in his 80s, according to local media. The Yomiuri Shimbun daily said the man had tested positive for the new Covid-19 and died of pneumonia. The health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.

Three others, all Japanese, have so far died after

WE ARE aware of the risks of them getting infected when they take off a mask or gloves, so we will have thorough measures to prevent infections under these circumstances. — KATSUNOBU KATO Japan Health Minister

becoming sick on the ship. Two were confirmed to have the new Covid-19, while the health ministry declined to comment on the diagnosis of the third. Japan has come under increasing pressure over its handling of the ship, particularly after it emerged that some passengers allowed to disembark after testing negative were subsequently diagnosed with the virus.

Some of the disembarking passengers were not even tested during the quarantine period, the health ministry has acknowledged. Several government officials working on the ship have themselves contracted the infection, but authorities have defended a policy of not uniformly testing those working on the boat. “We are aware of the risks of them getting infected when they take off a mask or gloves, so we will have thorough measures to prevent infections under these circumstances,” Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said, while stressing no change in policy was planned. Many nations have evacuated their citizens from the ship, with 450 Filipinos due to be flown home on Tuesday on two chartered flights.