Transcript
Fears of coronavirus left thousands of passengers stranded aboard a cruise ship quarantined in Japan.
After weeks of waiting, roughly 400 Americans aboard the Diamond Princess finally made it back stateside.
But the evacuees now face a mandatory quarantine here in the US.
And that has angered many of the passengers.
The Americans aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship had been docked off the Japanese port city of Yokohama since February 3.
Thousands of passengers remained on board as health officials confirmed more than 350 cases of coronavirus, the largest concentration of cases outside mainland China.
Teams in full-body suits boarded the ship to escort the Americans off one by one.
Then they were loaded into buses headed to Tokyo where two planes chartered by the US government waited to bring them home.
It was not a luxury flight.
The plane’s cargo had no windows, minimal installation, make shift toilets and temporary seats.
Only those Americans who were not infected or showing symptoms were supposed to be allowed to fly to the US.
But of the evacuated Americans, 14 tested positive for coronavirus and were placed in an isolated chamber on the plane.
Both flights landed at US Air Force bases, one in California, the other in Texas.
Once they arrived, passengers face a mandatory two week quarantine.
The Department of Health and Human Services along with the CDC will monitor evacuees for symptoms of coronavirus.
Anyone who tests positive or exhibits symptoms will be transferred for further evaluation and treatment.
Posted – 2.17.20