Japan cruise virus cases spike to 218

TOKYO: Another 44 people on board a cruise ship moored off Japan’s coast have tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus, the country’s health minister said Thursday.

Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said the 44 new cases were from another 221 new tests. They raise the number of infections detected on the Diamond Princess to 218, in addition to a quarantine officer who also tested positive for the virus.