Japanese health officials reported another 44 confimred cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus on board a Princess cruiseship entering its 10th day of quarantine in Yokohama.
The number of passengers and crew who have been affected by the deadly disease now stands at 218, in addition to a quarantine officer who also tested positive earlier this week.
Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said that authorities want to begin moving elderly people off the ship and into in government-designated accommodation if they test negative for the virus.
While passengers have been confined to their cabins for the quarantine period, the ship’s crew have remained on duty, providing food and essential services to passengers.
They have been unanimously praised their efforts by passengers on social media.
Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz told the Diamond Princess’s crew yesterday that once the quarantine is lifted, the company will be providing all crew with a two-month paid vacation home.
In a letter posted onto the popular CrewCenter website, Swartz said Princess is "deeply grateful and incredibly proud" of the ships’ crew.
“We understand that each of you are under great stress in this extraordinary situation, and we hope you are taking some time to speak with your family and friends - as well as reaching out to our Crew Assistance resources.
“We have been working to determine how we can best support you once we are past this difficult time. You deserve, and will need, a break. So, we offer you two months of paid time off. This will include your salary and any average gratuities you may normally receive.”
Swartz added that Princess would arrange flights home, and that all crew jobs were protected for a further contract.
In addition, any crew rejoining one of the company’s ships before the two months passed would still receive the extra pay.
The Diamond Princess will be released from quarantine on 19 February at the earliest.
This week has been an especially challenging one for Princess, which has had to deal with a severe norovirus outbreak on one of its Caribbean-based cruiseships in addition to the coronavirus outbreak on the Diamond Princess.
On Tuesday the company cut short a 14-day Caribbean cruise being operated by the 112,900-gt Caribbean Princess (built 2004) after more than 300 passengers came down with norovirus, a highly infectious stomach illness that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
Passengers on the Caribbean Princess will receive a 50% refund on the cost of their current cruise, a 50% discount on a future cruise.
In addition, Princess cancelled a 10-day cruise scheduled to operate from Singapore on Thursday by another of its ships as a precautionary move against the coronavirus spread in Asia.
