American travelers aboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan will soon be back in the United States.
The State Department sent a Saturday letter to hundreds of people trapped on Carnival’s Diamond Princess, notifying them that a plane would be sent to take them back to the U.S. on Sunday.
Almost 300 people on the ship of 3,600 passengers have contracted the illness, which originated in China. The cruise has been docked in Yokohama, Japan, since Feb. 3. According to the letter, passengers being evacuated will screened for the virus before boarding the charter flight and will then be quarantined for an additional two weeks once they arrive in the U.S.
“We understand this is frustrating and an adjustment, but these measures are consistent with the careful policies we have instituted to limit the potential spread of the disease,” the letter reads. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and will provide all the assistance we can to support the quarantine process.”
The Centers for Disease Control said in a Saturday press release that there are about 400 people from the U.S. aboard the ship and recommends that all of those on the ship return to America as part of the evacuation.
“This is an evolving situation and every day we learn more about this virus. We continue to believe the risk of exposure to novel coronavirus 2019 to the general public is currently low,” the statement reads. “We are deeply grateful to the government of Japan for their extraordinary care and hospitality and their assistance facilitating the care and return of our citizens.”
Since the outbreak began, the virus has infected more than 67,000 people globally and killed at least 1,527. Most of the infections and deaths are in China’s Hubei province, where the mysterious virus originated.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that the virus “holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world.”
The WHO has issued a declaration calling the outbreak a global public health emergency.
