Coronavirus Scare: Indian Crew Member Stuck on Virus-Hit Quarantined Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Off Japan Asks for Help; See Facebook Video
The man, identified as one of the crew members Binay Kumar Sarkar, took to social media platform Facebook and shared a video, appealing the government to help them. The 1.46 minute video shared on Facebook states that onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess are in a very dangerous situation.
New Delhi, February 8: Several Indian nationals on board the cruise ship, which was quarantined off Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak, has sought help from the government in India to rescue them as early as possible. In a video shared by a crew member on board the ship, the man said that people on board were in a very dangerous situation. The man, identified as one of the crew members Binay Kumar Sarkar, took to social media platform Facebook and shared a video, appealing the Indian government to help them.
The 1.46 minute video shared on Facebook states that onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess are in a very dangerous situation. "Yesterday, 21 passengers tested positive for coronavirus. Today, the number went up to 62. As many as 41 passengers and two were quarantined just now. There are 160 Indians among the crew members. Panic over coronavirus is growing,” Sarkar said in a Facebook video. Coronavirus Outbreak: Video of Chinese Elderly Couple, Infected by Deadly Virus, Holding Hands in Hospital Will Leave You in Tears.
Here's the Facebook Video:
Sarkar is a resident of Hatipa village in Kanki area of North Dinajpur district of West Bengal. The video, which Sarkar posted on Friday evening, stated that the passengers want only one help from the Indian government that they should be taken out and kept at an isolated place. "Family members are worried. We are scared. We just want to disembark somehow. Please help us,” Sarkar said.
Earlier this month, Sarkar had said that on February 4, 8 passengers and two crew members tested positive for coronavirus and were quarantined. But the next day, 11 more people tested positive. On February 6, more 41 people tested positive. Indian Woman Stranded in China Appeals For Help in an Emotional Video.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, as soon as his post went viral on social media, West Bengal’s disaster management minister Rajib Banerjee said that the state government was ready to do whatever it could to help the person. Banerjee further added that the officials will speak to the Japanese consulate in Kolkata to see if anything can be done. Earlier, Japan's Health Ministry confirmed that the number of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess ship off the coast of Yokohama reached 61.
On Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had informed in a tweet that many Indian crew and some Indian passengers are onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess quarantined off Japan due to Coronavirus. "None have tested positive, as per the latest information provided by our Embassy @IndianEmbTokyo. We are closely following the developments", he said.
On Saturday, the death toll due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China has reached 722, authorities said, while the number of confirmed cases also rose to 34,546.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 08, 2020 01:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).