First British coronavirus death as male passenger in his 80s from quarantined Diamond Cruise ship dies in Japan
A BRITISH man has died after contracting coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan.
The victim, who was in his 80s, is the first Brit to die from the virus after the vessel was put on lockdown just off the port of Yokohama.
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The British man did not live in the UK and was travelling with his female partner. They were among 78 Brits quarantined on the luxury liner off Yokohama.
The Foreign Office is supporting his family.
The Japanese Ministry of Health said the man was the sixth person to have died on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and was one of four UK nationals who remained in Japan to be treated for the bug.
The latest death was announced just hours after a female passenger, reported to be in her 70s, died on the ship.
A Foreign Office spokesperson says "we are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Japan and are in contact with local authorities"
Health Minister Jo Churchill said she had been aware a British man who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship had been "very poorly".
She told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "The Foreign Office are supporting the family of a British man who has been very poorly and was a passenger on board the Diamond Princess.
"I haven't had confirmation, because obviously I'm on the telephone to you, but I was aware there was a gentleman who was very, very poorly, and I'm sure like me your thoughts and sympathies go out to his family at this time."
It comes as:
- Six more people tested positive for coronavirus in the UK
- The British Army is on standby for barracks to be used as potential quarantine zones
- England's health chief says it's "just a matter of time" before coronavirus grips the country
- Brits are told they can protect themselves simply by washing their hands
- Holidays to northern Italy could be ruined as flights are cancelled and travel is advised against
- Thirty five schools across the UK are on lockdown amid pandemic fears
The cruise ship has been stranded near Tokyo, since February 3, amid fears the coronavirus would spread on land after a passenger who got off the ship in Hong Kong reportedly tested positive.
In an effort to halt the spread of the virus on board, all 3,700 passengers, including 78 Brits, were required to stay in their rooms since February 5.
But the quarantine was widely slammed, with one Brit survivor branding it an “utter joke”.
Alan Steele, 58, from Shropshire – the first Brit passenger revealed to have the bug – told Sky News: “There was a terrific rise in numbers because they had people just wandering all around the ship going cabin to cabin to cabin.
“So, if they caught it in one cabin then they're just spreading it to everyone else aren't they.”
Pressure was piled on the UK government to bring Brits back home who were left stranded.
Eventually, a chartered flight was sent to bring 32 people home to Arrowe Park Hospital, in the Wirral, for further quarantine, where four of them tested positive for the virus.
British couple David and Sally Abel, from Northamptonshire, documented the quarantine with posts on Facebook and YouTube.
He is understood not to be the Brit who has now died, Sky News reports.
A spokeswoman for Princess Cruises, which operates the Diamond Princess ship that the British man had been holidaying on, said: "All of us at Princess Cruises, including the crew of Diamond Princess, offer our sincere condolences to family members and friends for their loss.
"Our dedicated care team are on hand to provide support."
SPREAD ACROSS THE UK
It comes as three more coronavirus patients have tested positive for the killer bug in Britain - bringing the total number infected to 19.
In just 24 hours six new cases have been confirmed, heightening fears the country could soon be gripped by a spiralling epidemic.
A Welsh resident, thought to be from Swansea, was tested "in the community" for the deadly virus after returning from northern Italy before going to hospital in England.
And two more patients are infected in London after travelling from Iran - which has seen the highest number of deaths outside of China.
Medics are now scrambling to find anyone the trio came into contact with to stop the killer bug spreading further.
The British Army is reportedly on standby to step in as the epidemic looms - with barracks earmarked as potential quarantine zones.
There is now more than 82,000 cases worldwide, with almost 2,900 killed by the bug.
Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: "Public Health Wales is working hard to identify close contacts, and we are taking all appropriate actions to reduce any risk to the public's health."
There are now more than 82,000 cases worldwide, with almost 2,900 killed by the bug.
A high school in Swansea reassured parents after pupils recently returned from a ski trip to Bormio, Italy.
Forty-eight pupils from Birchgrove Comprehensive were told they could continue attending classes unless they suffered "flu like symptoms".
A spokeswoman for the school said: "The case is not linked to this school. Our school is open."
The epidemic has so far infected 19 people in the UK and killed nearly 3,000 globally.
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned we are at a "tipping point" – with ministers considering cancelling major events and closing schools for at least two months.
Mr Hunt, who now chairs the powerful Commons’ Health Select Committee, said stopping the bug spreading to more than five per cent of Brits would save “hundreds of thousands of lives”.
EXPERT'S ADVICE TO STEM SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS IN UK:
Prof Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology, University of Nottingham, said: “Looking at what is happening in many parts of the world – Italy, Iran and South Korea for example – we should get used to the fact that there will be increasing numbers of coronavirus infections detected here in the UK.
"Currently, these can be linked back to travel to a badly affected area, but it is very likely, if not a certainty, that virus will come here under the radar and start to transmit.
“We can all play our part in slowing its spread by being more vigilant about personal hygiene. This is the most effective way to slow the spread of many winter viruses.
"So, if you’ve been to one of the badly affected areas listed on the government website* in the last 14 days, self-isolate and call 111.
"Even if you haven’t travelled anywhere but you have symptoms of a cold or flu, then sneeze or cough into a tissue or the crook of your sleeve.
"Finally, never touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you’ve cleaned your hands using soap and water or, if you can’t get to a sink, using a hand cleaning gel.
"This is a virus that is most likely going to end up on your fingers and thumbs or the palms of your hands, so make sure at least these parts of your hands are thoroughly cleaned.”
SPIRALLING CASES
Speaking on the BBC Today programme, he said: “Even a system as well prepared as the NHS is not going to be able to operate at business as usual, if there's a pandemic.
“Given that we are now at that tipping point, I think the government are rightly starting to explain in more detail what some of those trade-offs might be.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is holding a COBRA meeting to discuss the growing cases of Covid-19 in the UK on Monday.
A "drive-through" virus testing service is set to be launched in London to cope with increasing numbers of people showing symptoms.
MOST READ IN NEWS
The three who tested positive for the deadly infection yesterday had returned from locked-down northern Italy and Tenerife, where 168 Brits are being quarantined in a hotel.
Passengers who sat within two rows of the person from Northern Ireland infected with Covid-19 on the plane from northern Italy to Dublin have been contacted, health authorities said.
The woman followed advice in reporting concerns to a GP, and "self-isolated" at home whilst awaiting the results of testing.
Italy has now become the worst affected country in Europe with at least 650 cases and 15 deaths.
