About 380 US citizens on quarantined Diamond Princess to be flown home from Japan

Hundreds of American passengers onboard a cruise liner quarantined in Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak will be flown home on chartered aircraft, the US embassy in Tokyo said on Saturday.

The aircraft is expected to arrive in Japan late on Sunday to fly the estimated 380 US citizens onboard the Diamond Princess to Travis air force base in California, where they will have to spend another fortnight in quarantine.

The embassy said in a letter to the passengers that they would have to undergo health checks before boarding the US government-chartered plane, adding that those showing symptoms such as a fever or cough would not be allowed on the flight.

The plane is expected to leave from Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Monday.

Quick guide What are coronavirus symptoms and should I go to a doctor? Show Hide What is Covid-19? Covid-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic. What are the symptoms this coronavirus causes? According to the WHO, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness and a dry cough. Some patients may also have a runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion and aches and pains or diarrhoea. Some people report losing their sense of taste and/or smell. About 80% of people who get Covid-19 experience a mild case – about as serious as a regular cold – and recover without needing any special treatment. About one in six people, the WHO says, become seriously ill. The elderly and people with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, or chronic respiratory conditions, are at a greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19. In the UK, the National health Service (NHS) has identified the specific symptoms to look for as experiencing either: a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

a new continuous cough - this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work, and there is currently no vaccine. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Should I go to the doctor if I have a cough? Medical advice varies around the world - with many countries imposing travel bans and lockdowns to try and prevent the spread of the virus. In many place people are being told to stay at home rather than visit a doctor of hospital in person. Check with your local authorities. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

“Passengers will be screened for symptoms and we are working with our Japanese partners to ensure that any symptomatic passengers receive the required care in Japan if they cannot board the flight,” the letter said.

“Should you choose not to return on this charter flight, you will be unable to return to the United States for a period of time.”

It added: “We recognise this has been a stressful experience and we remain dedicated to providing all the support we can and seeing you safely and expeditiously reunited with family and friends in the United States,” the letter said.

The Diamond Princess’s 3,700 passengers and crew were placed in quarantine on 3 February after it emerged that a passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong at the end of last month had tested positive for the virus.

So far, 218 people on the ship have tested positive for the coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19 – the biggest cluster of cases outside China. The remaining passengers and crew must remain onboard at least until their two-week quarantine ends next Wednesday.

Matthew Smith, an American passenger, said he would prefer to see out the next few days of quarantine in his cabin than leave early and potentially spend another two weeks in isolation in the US.

Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show Hide The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough

Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

“Incredibly disappointed that the US government has decided to throw a monkey wrench into the quarantine we have maintained here on board the Diamond Princess. If we stay onboard through next week, we will be tested and will likely come up negative,” Smith tweeted on Saturday.

“But the US government instead wants to take us off without testing, fly us back to the US with a bunch of other untested people, and then stick us in two more weeks of quarantine? How does that make any sense at all?”

Japan’s health ministry allowed 11 passengers to leave on Friday, giving priority to those aged over 80, and those who have pre-existing medical conditions or are staying in windowless cabins.