Halfway through a two-week quarantine, 65 more people aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the tally to 135 with only a fraction of the passengers tested, Princess Cruise Lines said Monday.
The operator of the ship earlier reported 66 new cases, but the ministry said one person may have been counted twice.
Four Australians are among those who’ve been confirmed to have contracted coronavirus.
Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said the Japanese government was considering testing all 3,711 passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess, which would require them to remain aboard until results are available. Health authorities are scrambling to deliver medicine requested by more than 600 passengers.
“We are doing the utmost to keep everyone in good health,” Kato said.
