This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World

The number of patients infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus aboard a quarantined cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan has continued to rise—making the ship the largest cluster of the deadly virus outside China. An additional 44 cases of the illness were identified on the Diamond Princess on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections to 218. That accounts for more than one third of all cases detected outside mainland China. With nearly 6% of the 3,711 passengers and crew members now infected, the 952-foot cruise ship also has the highest infection rate of the coronavirus anywhere in the world. Wuhan, China, the city where the disease is believed to have originated has nearly 33,000 official cases—but spread across a population of more than 11 million, that’s an infection rate of less than 0.3%. Health experts say the Diamond Princess highlights the high risk that an infection will spread in confined spaces. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, close-contact environments such as cruises can facilitate the transmission of viruses through droplets or contaminated surfaces. Carl Court—Getty ImagesThe Diamond Princess cruise ship sits docked at Daikoku Pier in Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 10, 2020. And due to the long duration that passengers are on their vessel, traveling on a cruise ship could present higher infection risks than other forms of transportation, like planes and trains, according to Hui-ling Yen, an expert...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Japan onetime overnight Travel Source Type: news