Repatriation of passengers from Japan's cruise ship progresses with a significant drop in China's coronavirus outbreak

#CoronavirusDeclineInChina; DropInDeaths; #Repatriation; #DiamondPrincessShip; #Japan

China, Feb 20 (Canadian-Media): A significant drop in Coronavirus to 349 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, down from 1,693 a day earlier and lowest since Jan 25, and decrease in death toll from 132 to 108 has been reported by China media reports said.

Repatriation of hundreds of passengers off a cruise ship in Japan took place on Wednesday after being quarantined on the ship for more than two weeks.

Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. Image credit: Pixaby

While 47 of the 256 Canadians on board the liner are infected, Canada's chartered carrying the healthy Canadians is expected to fly out of Japan on Thursday and land in Trenton, Ont., to be transported to the NAV Canada Training Institute in Cornwall, Ont., for 14 more days of quarantine.

More than 300 United States passengers were  flown to air bases in California and Texas this week.

Around 180 Australian evacuees from the ship who had landed in Darwin will be undergo the second 14-day quarantine period in a camp facility near the northern Australian city.

Around half of the passengers and crew being Japanese, were free to go home once cleared to leave. 

The Diamond Princess has been quarantined near Tokyo since Feb. 3, initially with about 3,700 people aboard just months before Japan is due to host the Olympics.​