Coronavirus: Japan to send army to ship, Indian crew pleads for help

NEW DELHI: Japan is likely to deploy its army to Diamond Princess, a luxury cruise liner that has remained quarantined near Yokohama port for several days and is now the largest known cluster of coronavirus infection outside China, crew members told TOI on Saturday.

A total of 138 Indians — 132 staff and six passengers — are among the 3,700 passengers on board the ship which was quarantined after a man who had disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

With two more on board testing positive, the number of confirmed cases has climbed to 63, but none of them are Indians. The army was either being called to “manage” things on the Diamond Princess or for evacuation, a staffer said.

The army was either being called to “manage” things on the Diamond Princess or for evacuation, a staffer said, adding, “The army is probably being called to manage things and to ensure safet