YOKOHAMA HARBOR – Passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship remain stranded overseas after health officials said the coronavirus had spread on board. Among the passengers is a San Antonio couple who detailed what they are seeing on the ship.
The husband, Don, spoke to KSAT over the phone.
“We’re trying to keep ourselves isolated as much as possible,” he said.
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More 3,000 passengers had boarded the cruise ship, but close to 200 passengers were taken off after they contracted the virus.
Don said passengers are required to wear a mask if they leave their cabin, and they must stay six feet apart. He said he and his wife have stayed in their cabin, where crew members have provided food and updates.
“They didn’t cause this. It’s just something that happened, but they’re dealing with it very well,” Don said.
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The 14-day quarantine is expected to end on Feb. 19, but Don said he is not sure that will be the case.
“We’re hoping it doesn’t get extended, but if necessary, we’ll just deal with it,” he said.
Don said passengers who tested negative were given the option to transfer to a Japanese facility on land. However, he and his wife chose to stay on board where they have access to communication.
“It just feels more comfortable continuing with the known,” said Don.
Passengers are required to check their temperature several times in the day. If their temperature is above 99.5 degrees, they are required to report it.
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Don said he is hoping he and his wife can return to the states before the end of the month. He said they plan to self-quarantine once they arrive home.
“We make sure that we’re not infected and no possibility of passing it along to someone else,” he said.