23 Feb 2020 11:58

Special flight brings home 8 Russians from Diamond Princess, including 3 infected with new coronavirus - Golikova

MOSCOW. Feb 23 (Interfax) - In implementation of the coronavirus operative response headquarters' decision, eight Russians were evacuated on February 22 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at the Japanese port of Yokohama, which saw a major outbreak of the coronavirus COVID-19 disease, to their home country, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova told reporters.

"On February 22, 2020, in line with the decision of the coronavirus operative response headquarters, Russian citizens were evacuated to the Russian Federation from Japan. The Russians were on board the Diamond Princess cruise liner, where a large outbreak of COVID-19 was earlier registered. Eight Russians, including three diagnosed with the coronavirus infection, have returned to Russia. Other Russian citizens on board refused to fly on board the special comfortable plane provided by the Ministry of Emergency Situations," Golikova said.

"The evacuation was facilitated by the Emergency Situations Ministry's aviation with the support of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian embassy to Japan, and with the participation of experts form the Rospotrebnadzor, Russian doctors, who ensured the observance of the anti-epidemic regime and monitoring of the health condition of the Russian citizens," she said.

"Our compatriots who have come back to Russia are feeling well. Those diagnosed with the new coronavirus infection by way of laboratory tests have the disease benign, without marked symptoms or complications. Nothing is threatening their health or the health of their family members," she said.

"All the evacuated Russian nationals (and also those facilitating the evacuation) will stay in quarantine for 14 days and will be under medical supervision in a specialized clinic in the city of Kazan, where all conditions for a comfortable stay have been guaranteed. Tests to check for presence of the new coronavirus in their bodies will be carried out while they are in quarantine," Golikova said.

The Russian government continues applying a package of necessary measures to prevent the new coronavirus infection from being imported to and spread in Russia and to protect the health of Russians, including those staying in foreign countries with higher risks of contamination with the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), she said.