Another 70 people test positive for COVID-19 on ship in Japan

CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

The number of cases of coronavirus on the quarantined cruise ship in Japan has risen to 355 after 70 more passengers tested positive for COVID-19.

The Diamond Princess, with some 3,700 passengers and crew on board, has the most coronavirus infections outside China, with authorities moving the infected cases to hospitals in Japan.

Meanwhile, the US, Canada and Hong Kong are sending chartered flights to evacuate their citizens on board the cruise liner. 

The Diamond Princess has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama on February 3.

Latest figures from China showed 68,500 cases of the flu-like virus and 1,665 deaths.

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