Ukrainian crew members on board a cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan due to the novel coronavirus have refused evacuation by their government, Hromadske Radio reported on Feb. 25, citing a top Ukrainian diplomat.
There are 25 Ukrainians working on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been docked at the Japanese port city of Yokohama as travelers and crew members were confined on board the ship for two weeks — from roughly Feb. 4 until Feb. 19 — to prevent the spread of the virus.
Of the Ukrainians, two tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, and were sent to a local hospital for treatment.
“Their obligations are dictated by contract; their wishes are also taken into consideration. Twenty-four of them announced that they do not intend to return to Ukraine. Contact with one more Ukrainian is being established,” said Maksym Kovalenko, head of the crisis management department at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.
He added that Ukrainian officials are ready to evacuate the crew members should they change their minds.
In total, 691 of 3,700 passengers and crew members on the Diamond Princess have tested positive for coronavirus, four passengers died, and the onboard quarantine has largely been deemed a failure.
Passengers began disembarking from the cruise ship on Feb. 19, and will undergo 14 more days of quarantine upon arrival to their countries of origin.
Ukrainian evacuation
Last week, Ukraine evacuated 45 of its citizens and 27 foreign nationals from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China. But they weren’t welcomed warmly.
Their arrival sparked protests in several regions where local residents feared the evacuees would bring the virus with them.
Read more: Protests erupt as evacuees fleeing coronavirus arrive in Ukraine (UPDATE)
In the Novy Sanzhary village in Poltava Oblast, which was eventually chosen as the base for a 14-day quarantine, protesters blocked the road, clashed with police and threw stones at buses carrying the evacuees.
Ukrainian authorities tried to convince locals that not a single evacuee was infected with coronavirus and the quarantine was a mere precaution.
Read more: Ukrainians evacuated from Wuhan settle in Novi Sanzhary amid tensions
As of Feb. 24, there has not been a single case of coronavirus registered in Ukraine.
The number of coronavirus cases globally has passed 80,000, with over 2,700 deaths. After China, the outbreak spread to countries such as South Korea, Italy, Japan and Iran. Smaller numbers of cases have been confirmed in several European countries.
Despite 287 confirmed cases and 7 deaths so far in Italy, Ukrainian airlines have not halted flights there.
Ukraine International Airlines announced tightened security measures on flights to Rome, Milan and Venice.
The General Consulate of Ukraine in Milan said it had temporarily stopped receiving visitors and issuing documents starting on Feb. 25.
