VLADIVOSTOK (Russia), Feb 25 (NNN-SPUTNIK) — Seven Russian citizens who recently disembarked from the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise liner have been quarantined upon their arrival in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, the regional government of Russia’s Primorsky Territory said on Tuesday.
“Seven Russians, who were in a Japanese port on the Diamond Princess liner, arrived in Vladivostok on Sunday. All citizens were taken to the infectious diseases hospital, where they were tested for coronavirus. Currently, the Russian tourists remain under the supervision of doctors and the local branch of (consumer rights watchdog) Rospotrebnadzor,” Sputnik news agency quoted the government as saying.
According to authorities, the former passengers were quarantined due to the risk that they may have come into contact with infected persons, but all have been reported to be in satisfactory condition with no complaints or complaints of fever.
“Citizens will be in the infectious diseases hospital for 14 days, where they will undergo all necessary lab tests. In addition, all biological materials of these citizens will be additionally examined at the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector in Novosibirsk,” the government said.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship left the port of Yokohama on Jan 20 and returned there on Feb 3. Japanese authorities placed the liner under quarantine for two weeks after it was discovered that a former passenger had contracted the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. At the start of the quarantine, there were 3,711 people on board including 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members. As of Monday, 691 passenger have been infected. The first two fatalities were confirmed last week. A group of eight other Russians – including three infected – were evacuated to and quarantined in the city of Kazan on Sunday.
As of Tuesday, the COVID-19 outbreak has already left over 80,000 people infected worldwide and killed 2,699 patients. Recovery rates are also on the rise, with 27,671 patients currently having been discharged from hospitals around the globe.
