Three Indonesian crew members aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship anchored off the coast of Japan have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has confirmed.

“According to my last communication with the Japanese ambassador in Jakarta, we have obtained information that three of the 78 Indonesian crew members aboard the cruise ship were declared confirmed [for COVID-19],” Retno told journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The minister added that two of the people found to have the illness had been taken to a hospital in Chiba, Japan. The third was waiting to be taken to the hospital as of noon on Tuesday.

A team from the Indonesian embassy in Tokyo has gone to Chiba to ensure that the Indonesian citizens receive proper treatment from Japanese authorities, Retno said.

“We have also contacted the families of the three Indonesian crew members,” she went on to say.

The Diamond Princess, which was initially carrying 3,711 people, has been quarantined off Yokohama since last week after a passenger who disembarked last month in Hong Kong was found to have the new coronavirus. Among the people onboard were 78 Indonesian nationals who were part of the ship’s crew.

On Tuesday, Japan confirmed that 446 had tested positive for COVID-19, Retno said. (kuk)