Crew Members Of Quarantined Ship With Positive Coronavirus Cases Urge PM Modi For Help

An isolated ship, Diamond Express, is gripped with fear with 66 people testing positive for the new coronavirus. The ship, which is quarantined off a port in Japan since February 5, has total of 166 crew members on board. The Diamond Express sailed from from Japan's Yokohama on January 20 and a passenger got off on January 25 at Hong Kong. It is being reported that the Hong Kong passenger was found positive for coronavirus.

As a precautionary measure, passengers on the ship have been asked to stay inside their cabins such that new infections are not spread.

One of the crew members said the captain of the ship made the announcement regarding 66 people testing positive for the new coronavirus, reports NDTV.

Binay Kumar Sarkar, a chef from north Bengal, said that there was full-fledged panic on-board. Sarkar had earlier gone on social media to appeal the Indian government to provide help.

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In a video message recorded from the ship, Sarkar requested the Indian government to segregate the Indians on board and bring them back to India safely.

In the video message, the crew membercan be seen urging the Indian govenment to help. "Modi-ji, please segregate us and bring us back home safely”, he added.

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The death toll in China’s due to the coronavirus outbreak has gone up to 908. Most of the casualties have been reported from Hubei province in China. The confirmed cases of infection have crossed the 40,000-mark Chinese health officials said on Monday.