by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:05 AM ET, Mon February 10, 2020
As the Diamond Princess cruise ship remains quarantined in Japan, health officials revealed 60 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, including at least 23 Americans.
According to The Washington Post, Japanese health ministry sources said at least 135 passengers aboard the Princess Cruises' vessel docked in Yokohama have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Diamond Princess has been quarantined at sea since arriving in Japan last week. Passengers who test positive for the viral infection have been removed from the ship and transported to local hospitals, while the remaining travelers have been forced to remain confined to their rooms until the quarantine period ends.
As a result of the quarantine, Princess Cruises announced it would offer full refunds to all 2,666 guests on board, including the more than 400 passengers from the United States. Travelers stuck on the ship have been allowed on decks in shifts to get fresh air.
In response to the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has adopted stricter coronavirus screenings across its member cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean also announced a ban on guests with Chinese, Hong Kong or Macau passports from boarding its ships until further notice. The decision comes after the cruise line canceled eight voyages last week.
In total, the coronavirus outbreak has killed at least 908 people and infected more than 40,000.
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