Hundreds of Americans from a cruise ship under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama were on two charter flights heading back to the U.S. early Monday. Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and Italy were planning similar flights.
Japan announced another 70 infections had been confirmed on the Diamond Princess, which is owned by Carnival Corp. Hundreds of others on board have been diagnosed with the virus.
The roughly 300 Americans flying on the U.S.-government chartered planes to the U.S. will be quarantined for two more weeks when they get to Travis Air Force Base in California and Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
People with symptoms were banned from the flights. A State Department spokesperson told CBS News, “Anyone who develops symptoms will be placed in isolation aboard the aircraft and will be referred to appropriate medical care upon landing.”
The World Health Organization put the death toll from the virus as of Sunday at 1,669, all but three in China, and said there were 51,857 lab-confirmed cases, all but approximately 700 in China.
Chinese authorities reported 70,548 cases but those include broader criteria than the ones the WHO uses. China also reported 1,770 deaths.
