Canadian couple to remain in Japan as cruise ship quarantine ends

Japan, this is Yokohama and that is the Diamond Princess, the

cruise

ship

that has been at the center of our coverage for so many days, the site that has seen the world's largest coronavirus outbreak outside mainland China and is where the greatest concentration to date. About 500 passengers were eventually allowed to leave the

ship

, finished their 14 days in

quarantine

and tested negative for Kovid 19. Their departure came at the same time that officials announced dozens of new cases aboard the ship, so that there is a lot to tell about what is happening. Continuing with the Diamond Princess, the passengers and particularly the Canadian passengers on board and let's go to our Asia correspondent, Sasha Petro Suk, who is there in Yokohama, right in front of the Diamond Princess and Sasha, let's pick up in more detail on those key developments. today well Heather this is what many people have been waiting for of course the end of the

quarantine

the end of the time when all these people had to stay in their cabins today those same people who had to stay away from the rest of society because of They could actually be carriers of the virus, they let them out, they got into taxis, they got into buses, they walked away and entered Yokohama, as far as the Japanese government is concerned, they are perfectly fine, they are safe, they are not a threat or a danger to health perspective for anyone, there are people who don't agree with that or aren't so sure and then there are experts who aren't so sure that this was all a great idea because, as you say, every day we've been Seeing dozens of new cases of people who have been infected on the ship clearly the virus has been spreading there and very quickly the numbers increased and increased and much more than anywhere else in the world outside of mainland China, so it has been a controversial experiment in the eyes of some people, but one that is coming to an end right now, many people still on that ship behind me, some more will be released tomorrow and then again the next day to leave, mostly they are Japanese citizens, but there are also people from other places in the world who are waiting for the plane to leave, including, of course, about 200 Canadians.

Yesterday we had a great story from you. Sasha, speaking of Canadians, you introduced us to a

couple

Greg and Rosie Erik. We have a photo of them. let's mention them and we were listening to your reports while you were talking to them and yesterday at the time you told us about them, one had the virus, you didn't get a good update this morning, Sasha, your situation has changed today, well, it's not clear that your situation has changed, but yesterday they were not given any very important information by the Japanese health officials who knocked on their door in their hazmat suits and with their visors and their clipboards, when they arrived at the door and told them Greg that he was positive that he had the virus, he carried it and that he would have to go to the hospital and stay here and Rose was going to have to go to Canada on the plane and leave him behind because she was negative and couldn't. go to the hospital and it turns out they were wrong, the clipboard actually said that she was positive too and that in fact they are both staying here in Japan and will be transported to the same hospital very soon.

You know, the reaction may not be what you would expect from two people who have just been told they have a very, very serious virus. This is what they told me today over Skype. You know, we'll be together. We will jump through hoops together and keep each other strong, so there you have it, as you can see, they are actually very happy with the situation at the moment, not of course because of the health implications, but because of the fact that both will stay. in the same hospital in Japan, who knows how long they will have to stay before they are discharged.

You know neither of them have any symptoms and neither of them knew they had the virus until they were told the tests came back positive, so I hope this is a short stay before they too can return to Canada, but It's not at all clear when that will be, Heather, well, we'll talk about returning to Canada in just a second, but Sasha, thank you so much. Patristic Sasha right in front of the diamond princess there in Yokohama Japan