Coronavirus: All aboard luxury cruise liner off Hong Kong test negative, allowed to leave

All 3,688 people, including 73 Indians, on board luxury cruise liner World Dream anchored at the Kai Tuk cruise terminal in

Hong Kong

since Wednesday, were cleared to disembark on Sunday after all samples tested negative for the novel coronavirus (nCoV).


Meanwhile, the toll in China’s coronavirus outbreak jumped to 811 on Sunday, surpassing global fatalities (774 deaths) in the 2002-03 SARS epidemic, even as Chinese officials said the cases of infection have started dropping for the first time after weeks of sharp rise.

Two more cruise liners remain stranded in Asian waters over coronavirus fears. Six more on board Diamond Princess, anchored at Japan’s Yokohama with 138 Indians, tested positive for the virus on Sunday, taking the total to 69. The other, Westerdam, has been denied port of call in

Japan

and is sailing southwest off the Taiwan coast.

Cruise liner Westerdam has been denied port of call in Japan and “working with different governments” for a resolution. No coronavirus case has been reported so far,

Holland America Line

, which operates the cruise, said.

(With inputs from Saurabh Sinha and agencies)