A British couple who were celebrating their 50th anniversary on board the coronavirus infected Diamond Princess cruise ship are in a “bad way” after being infected with coronavirus, then contracting pneumonia in Japan.

David and Sally Abel from Northamptonshire are in a “prison like” hospital in Japan, their son Stephen Abel said they have no shower of bathing facilities in their hospital room, just paper towels.

Speaking on Friday night, Stephen said, ‘They are in a really bad way.

‘Dad is very weak. He can’t walk around he’s in a wheelchair now. I haven’t seen him in a wheelchair, but mum tells me he has to be put in a wheelchair to go from the ambulance to the hospital.”

He added, “They are really distressed. His exact words to me were, this has to stop now, we can’t take any more of this. It’s like a prison.

“They haven’t eaten properly. Neither of them can eat the food. They don’t know what’s happening, they haven’t had any treatments.

“They have been told they won’t get any treatments, but have been told they will see if they test negative for the coronavirus in two or three days and if they test negative twice they can go, but that doesn’t treat the pneumonia, which is what we are so worried about.”

On Saturday Stephen gave an update of his parents saying, “They have spoken to a doctor who can liaise with them a bit better.

“That is really reassuring and has done a lot for their mental well-being. They are brighter today and seem a lot happier, but they are still in the same situation.”

Stephen’s wife, Roberta Abel criticised the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and said their response has been “next to useless.”

Roberta said on Saturday, “We do not believe they are in the best possible place like the Foreign Office are telling people.”

An FCO spokesperson said, “The welfare of all British nationals is of the highest priority to the UK government.

“We are working with the Japanese authorities to ensure those British nationals who are remaining in Japan for health reasons get the best care possible.”

He accused the British government of not helping them and tweeted the US President, Donald Trump.

He tweeted, “@realDonaldTrump need help getting my mum and dad out of Japan with Coronavirus. UK government are not helping us.

“They say Japanese hospital is like a prison. Can you help? My folks are big trump supporters.”