By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday confirmed that four other Filipinos aboard cruise ship MV Diamond Princess tested positive for the 2019-novel Coronavirus (nCoV).
A passenger aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship waves to the media (AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Quoting a report from the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, the DFA said the four Filipinos tested positive yesterday, bringing to five the total number of positive nCoV cases.
“They are now being treated in hospitals in Japan,” the DFA said in a statement.
The four Filipinos are all crewmembers of the cruise ship that is currently docked in Yokohama, Japan. They are part of the six newly confirmed cases of the virus since the vessel arrived in Japan on February 4, 2020.
It further said the Embassy is closely coordinating with Japanese authorities, and is in constant communication with the Filipinos still onboard, to provide them assistance.