Four other British passengers who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) are now in hospital in Japan.

The question now is: Why?

Japanese officials have defended the quarantine, and say that precautions have been taken to stop the disease from spreading on the ship. But some experts suggest it may have been less than rigorous.

In a possible sign of lax protocols, three Japanese health officials who helped in the quarantine checks on the ship were also infected.

"MFAT have also told us that they are now planning on a return for those passengers to New Zealand as quickly as possible after they arrive in Australia".

The passengers will be tested to make sure they are not infected with the deadly virus and those who are cleared will be allowed off the ship, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

Worldwide, there are now over 43,000 confirmed cases of this new coronavirus, with the majority occurring in mainland China.

In Japan, where data showed on February 16 that the economy had already shrunk last quarter at the fastest pace in nearly six years, the impact of the virus is expected to show up in the current quarter, stoking fears of recession.

"We need to understand how the quarantine measures on board were implemented, what the air filtration on board is like, how the cabins are connected and how waste products are disposed of", MacDermott said.

People in China have begun exploring unorthodox ways to get treated, with some appealing to HIV patients and unauthorised importers for medicine.

Six Irish citizens have so far been repatriated from Wuhan City in China - the epicentre of the viral outbreak.

Mr. Haering said he had not heard from anyone at Princess Cruises, the company that operates the Diamond Princess, since he arrived at the hospital.

"It's the stress", she said.

Matthew Smith, an American passenger who remained on the ship after refusing to board the voluntary repatriation flights, tweeted that staying behind was the "best decision ever".

On Monday, some American citizens on the quarantined ship had already been evacuated from Tokyo on flights to the United States. "Not to do so would be reckless".

His death comes as authorities are cautiously cheering a reduction in the number of new daily cases and deaths, along with the results of a study showing most people who contracted the virus experienced only mild symptoms. "It's really important that there's an appropriate risk management approach being taken here", he said. We are also working to ensure the safety of all Israeli citizens as well. None of the other 1,454 passengers and 802 crew had reported any symptoms, it said. Two were taken to Nebraska, and another was in California for treatment.

The remaining passengers will remain under quarantine for 14 days. Crew members also ate in groups in a crew mess hall.

Earlier Tuesday, Wakayama Prefecture reported three new infections, including an inpatient in his 60s at Saiseikai Arida Hospital in Yuasa, a teenage son of an infected doctor at the hospital, and a man in his 30s who worked as a member of a medical team sent to the Diamond Princess for quarantine efforts.

"I am glad for my aunts and uncles to be in the USA and to be receiving treatment here", said JoAnn LaRoche Lee, one of Mr.