Indians aboard Diamond Princess cruise board Air India flight, to be brought to Delhi

After being quarantined for over 23 days in Japan, all Indian Crew members and passengers aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise boarded an Air India flight, sent by the government of India on Wednesday. The passengers and crew will be brought to Delhi first.

The news of Indians returning from Japan was also confirmed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. The Maharashtra BJP leader had taken to his official Twitter handle on Wednesday and had written about Indians aboard Diamond Princess cruise safely boarding the Chartered Air India flight.

READ | Coronavirus tally rises after two more Indians test positive on Diamond Princess

138 Indians were quarantined in Japan

A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and 6 passengers, were among the 3,711 people, onboard the ship when it docked at the Yokohama port, near Tokyo, on February 3. It was quarantined after a passenger who disembarked last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the disease. The ship has the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases outside China. Two former passengers of the ship have also died.

READ | COVID-19: 4 Indians on-board Diamond Princess test positive, toll rises to 12

Coronavirus outbreak

The new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has claimed more than 2,600 lives across the globe and has infected more than 81,000 people since December 2019. The virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan city, where animals were being traded illegally. Hubei province in China has been most affected by the contagious disease, which is also the epicentre of the virus. 

Coronavirus has claimed more lives than its predecessor Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). According to reports, SARS, which broke out in China in 2002-2003 had claimed more than 774 lives, which is way below the current death toll from COVID-19. 

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(with inputs from agencies)