Indian embassy: Condition of 3 Indians affected by Coronavirus on Japanese cruise improves

Amid the deadly Coronavirus outbreak which has spread an atmosphere of fear across the world, the Indian embassy in Japan on Saturday has informed that the condition of three Indians stuck on the Japanese cruise ship Diamond Princess has improved. The Embassy has further informed that no new case of virus infection to Indians on the ship has been reported.

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On Friday, the embassy had informed that one more Indian has been tested positive by Covid-19, besides the two Indians noted earlier. Responding to the cases reported on the cruise, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar had assured that all necessary support and assistance is being rendered. He also added that all updates regarding the same will be given from time to time. 

A video was recorded from the cruise ship Diamond Princess in which an Indian crew member, Binay Kumar Sarkar, appealed to the Indian government and the UN to segregate the Indians on board on an urgent basis. 

Sarkar, a chef from Bengal, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said in Hindi: "None of them have been checked (for coronavirus)." 

"Please somehow save us as soon as possible. What's the point if something happens (to us)...I want to request the government of India and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi-ji, please segregate us and bring us back home safely," he added.

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Coronavirus and its outbreak

The outbreak of the deadly virus took place in China's Wuhan in January. While the Chinese doctor, reprimanded by police after warning colleagues about the disease, died after falling ill. Countries have started evacuating their citizens from China and have been issuing travel advisory.

The virus was officially named 'COVID-19' at a conference in Geneva held by the World Health Organisation, and was declared a 'global public health emergency'.

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In February, India evacuated 645 people from Hubei, the province worst-hit by the coronavirus. People were lodged at the quarantine facilities set up by the Army and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in and around Delhi, and the Union Health Ministry last week informed that they have been tested negative.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus epidemic in China has surged past 1,500 on Saturday while the number of cases affected reaching nearly 64,000 in China itself. India has also reported three confirmed cases from Kerala. The virus is said to have reached in 28 countries across the world with the World Health Organisation declaring it a 'Global Health Emergency'.

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