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Diamond Princess Cruise Ship to Evacuate Elderly Passengers

The Japanese government will begin evacuating vulnerable passengers and those over 80 years old on Friday to continue their quarantine on land.

The Japanese government will begin evacuating vulnerable passengers and everyone over the age of 80 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship on Friday to finish the last six days of their quarantine on land. The move comes as concern grew for the elderly stuck in interior windowless cabins who may suffer from potential health issues outside the virus. As of Friday, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases onboard the ocean liner stands at 220, although only a small fraction of the more than 3,700 passengers and crew have been tested. The ship has the dubious honor of hosting the largest pocket of infected people anywhere outside Wuhan.