Coronavirus: Two South Africans test positive in Japan
Two South Africans have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan. The Health Department released a statement a short while ago, confirming that the two were crew members on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Ten other South Africans were working on the vessel when it arrived at a port near Tokyo more than three weeks ago.
The cruise ship which arrived in Yokohama, Japan, announced on the first of February that a patient disembarked in Hong Kong on the 25th of January had tested positive for the virus prompting a quarantine process.
It was only at the end of the quarantine, 19 days later that the South African government was made aware that 12 South Africans were amongst the crew.
READ: Coronavirus: Ramaphosa orders evacuation of over 100 SA citizens in Wuhan City
The two South Africans are now receiving treatment in Japan and will be allowed to travel further once they are fully recovered.
JUST IN: @HealthZA has confirmed that two South African citizens working on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for #coronavirus. They are currently being treated in Japan. The department also confirmed that 10 other SA citizens worked on the ship.@ecr9495 pic.twitter.com/Vw5SRz0wJH
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) February 28, 2020
While the other ten are quarantine for another 14 days and will only be permitted to disembark the ship once they test negative.
The government has promised to monitor the situation closely and keep South Africans informed.
