A second Russian citizen from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess has been hospitalized with suspected coronavirus infection, Russia’s Embassy in Japan said Tuesday.
The embassy said that a Russian woman earlier said to have been diagnosed with coronavirus on the cruise ship docked in Japan does not have the virus, but that her husband, who is also on board, had tested positive.
Both of them have been hospitalized, the embassy said in a post on Facebook.
“He has no symptoms and feels fine,” it said.
The two have been placed in separate medical facilities. “His wife, given the high risk of infection, was admitted to a hospital,” the embassy said.
The husband is thought to be the first Russian national to contract the virus. Russia has confirmed two cases of the virus within its borders, both Chinese nationals who have since recovered.
The embassy said earlier Tuesday it was working with Japan on organizing the return of the estimated two dozen Russians after the Diamond Princess quarantine ends in the coming days.
The cruise ship, carrying some 3,700 passengers and crew, has been quarantined in Yokohama since Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.
Passengers still on the ship, about half of whom are Japanese, have expressed frustration over the quarantine and authorities in Australia, Canada, Italy and South Korea are also planning to evacuate citizens from the cruise liner.
The total number of infected passengers rose to 542, according to Japan’s health ministry, after a further 88 people tested positive for the virus on the Diamond Princess.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
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