Coronavirus Outbreak: Two Indians Onboard Quarantined Diamond Princess Ship Off Japan Test Positive
Two days earlier, the Indian crew members onboard the quarantined ship uploaded an SOS video on social media, appealing the Indian government to rescue them at the earliest. One of the crew members, Binay Kumar Sarkar - a chef from North Bengal - sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save their lives.
New Delhi, December 12: Two Indians onboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked off the coast of Yokohama in Japan, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reports confirmed on Wednesday. The ship was stationed off the Japan shoreline two weeks ago, after it was found that one of the passengers who had deboarded in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the nCoV-2019 virus.
Two days earlier, the Indian crew members onboard the quarantined ship uploaded an SOS video on social media, appealing the Indian government to rescue them at the earliest. One of the crew members, Binay Kumar Sarkar - a chef from North Bengal - sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save their lives. China Praises PM Narendra Modi's Letter to Xi Jinping on Coronavirus Assistance, Says Friendship Fully Demonstrated.
"We are 160 Indian crew members here and eight Indian passengers. Ninety percent of us are not infected...Please somehow save us as soon as possible. What's the point if something happens (to us)...I want to tell the government of India, Modi-ji, please segregate us and bring us back home safely," Sarkar said in the video uploaded on Facebook.
The cruise ship is carrying over 3,700 passengers, out of whom over 300 have tested positive for coronavirus. The Japanese authorities have isolated the ship to prevent the further spread of the virus. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) claims to be in constant touch with their counterparts in Tokyo and is monitoring the situation.
Captain of the Indian crew members, Sonali Thakur, has also issued a separate appeal to the government seeking to be segregated from those infected by the novel coronavirus. If not separated at the earliest, the virus may infect them as well, she said in her appealed to the Government of India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2020 09:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).