YOKOHAMA: Passengers started on Wednesday to leave the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been quarantined for the new coronavirus at the port of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, eastern Japan, since early this month.

Those who do not have symptoms, such as fever, and have tested negative for the virus are allowed to disembark. As of Monday, a total of some 3,180 passengers and crew members were on the ship. It is expected to take until Friday for all passengers to leave the ship, while it is still unknown when crew members will be allowed to disembark.

On Wednesday, 443 people, including elderly Japanese, got off the ship between around 11 a.m. (2 a.m. GMT) and shortly past 4 p.m. Buses chartered by the company operating the cruise ship carried them to nearby railway stations and elsewhere.

They were allowed to return to their homes using public transportation means. The health ministry asked them to check their health, including body temperature, every day for the next two weeks and refrain from unnecessary outings. They are also advised to contact dedicated consultation centers if they feel unwell.

For passengers who stayed in the same cabins as infected people, the ministry will determine dates of disembarkation on a case-by-case basis.

"I was worried about when I would leave," said a 77-year-old Tokyo man who left the ship. "Initially, the information was scarce, but we received meticulous support."

"I appreciate the staff's efforts," his 71-year-old wife said with tears in her eyes. "They treated us very well, and we had a comfortable time."

Meanwhile, 79 people aboard the ship were confirmed on Wednesday to have the virus, with the total number of infected people on the vessel rising to 621. Twenty-five people, including 13 Japanese citizens, are in serious condition.

The Diamond Princess, which left Yokohama on Jan. 20, was quarantined when it arrived in Naha, the capital of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa, on Feb. 1.

But the quarantine clearance was canceled when the cruise ship arrived back in Yokohama on Feb. 3, as a male passenger who got off the ship in Hong Kong on Jan. 25 was confirmed to be infected with the new virus. The ship has since been under quarantine again in Yokohama.

As of Feb. 3, a total of 3,711 people -- 2,666 passengers, including 1,281 Japanese nationals, and 1,045 crew members --were on the ship.

Since Feb. 5, the ministry has been asking passengers to stay in their cabins to prevent the virus from spreading on the ship.

Last Saturday, the ministry announced plans to screen all passengers for the virus and allow them to leave the ship starting Wednesday if they test negative.

Passengers who are aged 80 or over and have chronic diseases began to disembark if they tested negative.

JIJI Press