Japan39 new people were found positive for corona virus while in isolation on Diamond Princess yacht in Yokohama port, increasing the number of cases to 174.

"Of the 53 new test results aboard the Diamond Princess, 39 were found positive for corona virus," Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters in Tokyo today, adding that an quarantine official also infected with the virus.

Mr. Katsunobu said that four more cases of Covid-19 were brought to the shore and were hospitalized in critical condition, undergoing oxygen or treated in intensive care.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, owned by the US-based Princess Cruises, operated by Carnival Japan Inc., with 3,711 passengers and crew, was quarantined at the Port of Yokohama on February 4, after an operation. 80-year-old guest from Hong Kong on board last month positive for Covid-19.

When the train arrived in Japan, nearly 300 of the 3,711 people on board were under medical examination. Health officials then continued to expand tests with people who had close contact with the virus-positive passengers and crew members, detecting dozens more cases of infection.

Guests on Diamond Princess are required to stay in the room for most of the time, wearing masks and keeping distance from people when going out. They are also given thermometers to regularly check their own temperature.

The quarantine makes the lives of many passengers and sailors on board difficult, even some people have sent rescue messages, saying that the measures to keep thousands of people in a narrow space on the ship makes the risk. Cross-infection increases.

Princess Cruises, the company that operates the Diamond Princess cruise ship, today 9/2 pledged to compensate all costs for passengers as well as solve the "reasonable expenses incurred". The ship is scheduled to be isolated until February 19.

The Covid-19 outbreak started in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, China in December 2019. The epidemic has spread to 26 countries and territories around the world, causing at least 1,115 deaths and an increase of more than 45,057 cases.

The Japanese government earlier this month banned foreigners from traveling to Hubei in recent weeks, as well as stopping visas for Chinese in the province. People who come to Japan with signs of nCoV infection may also be denied entry. Japan has taken more than 500 citizens from the country to leave Wuhan after the outbreak.

Countries with nCoV pneumonia patients. Click on image to see details.