Third Diamond Princess ‘infection factory’ cruise ship passenger dies of coronavirus as 36 are now seriously ill
Victim is Japanese man in his 80s who was removed from the Diamond Princess
He was taken to a local hospital after suffering ‘symptoms’ of the deadly disease
The ministry did not confirm whether the man had tested positive for COVID-19
LEIGH MCMANUS
DAILYMAIL.COM
23 February 2020
A third person who became ill on board a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan has died, the country’s health ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry identified the victim as a Japanese man in his 80s who was removed from the Diamond Princess and taken to a local hospital after suffering ‘symptoms.’
The ministry did not confirm whether the man had tested positive for COVID-19.
They said they could only disclose the information that the family of the man had consented to make public.
It gave the man’s cause of death as pneumonia. A total of 36 people who were passengers on the ship are seriously ill on the ‘infection factory’ ship.
The death comes after two other elderly passengers, also both Japanese and in their 80s, died on Thursday after contracting the virus.
Despite a quarantine imposed on the Diamond Princess, more than 600 people on board tested positive for the virus, with several dozen in serious condition.
In total, Japan has so far recorded four deaths linked to the new coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 130 people excluding those linked to the Diamond Princess.
On Thursday, two Japanese passengers – an 87-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman – died from the same disease, a week after a woman not related to the cruise ship also died.
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