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Coronavirus

Japan sent ship passengers home -- Was that correct?

Diamond Princess evacuees test positive after initial clean bills of health

Passengers on the Diamond Princess have tested positive for the coronavirus even after showing no symptoms during the two-week quarantine.   © Kyodo

TOKYO -- Three people evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship were found Friday to be infected with the coronavirus, raising questions about Japan's decision to let disembarked passengers go home in a stark contrast to other nations enforcing two-week quarantines.

Nearly all passengers whose tests came back clean had disembarked from the ship by Friday, under the assumption that they could return home without posing a threat. But two Australians and an Israeli were found to have the virus when they were rechecked after arriving in their home countries, making clear that the risk of spreading the disease cannot be entirely ruled out.

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