FILE PICTURE: Foreign passengers are being evacuated from the cruise ship Diamond Princess. The ship is seen here through a fence at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan, February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato/
February 18, 2020
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan will charter a plane to evacuate its citizens on the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Japan that was hit by the coronavirus outbreak, the Taiwan government said on Tuesday.
Four Taiwanese onboard were confirmed to have the virus, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters. He did not say when the evacuation will take place.
More than 20 Taiwanese were on the ship, which has seen the most coronavirus infections outside of China.
(Reporting By Yimou Lee; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
