40 Americans taken off quarantined cruise ship infected with new coronavirus

Forty Americans being taken off the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess are infected with the new coronavirus.

They are among 400 people from the US leaving the vessel docked in Japan.

Most are due to depart for the US on two government-chartered aircraft. But those carrying the virus will be admitted to Japanese hospitals.

NEW: Dr. Anthony Fauci of @NIAIDNews confirms to @margbrennan 40 Americans have tested positive for #Coronavirus aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship. pic.twitter.com/b2nkiIiZpf

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 16, 2020

Meanwhile, China has tightened restrictions on movement in Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak.

The Diamond Princess has been quarantined in Japan's port of Yokohama with some 3,700 passengers and crew on board since 3 February after a man left the ship in Hong Kong and was found to have the virus.

It has the largest cluster of coronavirus cases outside China. The Japanese authorities on Sunday said the number of new cases on board the ship had risen by 70 to 355.

[Source:BBC]