100 from cruise stuck in Japan

Only five passengers returned yesterday on the government's third chartered flight as 70 Hongkongers confirmed with Covid-19 and around 30 close contacts from the Diamond Princess cruise ship were left behind in Japan.

Japanese authorities are working out the exact number and identities of the remaining Hongkongers.

The Health Ministry also announced the death of an elderly male passenger, the third to die after contracting Covid-19 while on board.

Of the five who returned, two had disembarked from the liner earlier and spent Saturday night at a Tokyo hotel. The other three are siblings, according to Undersecretary for Security Sonny Au Chi-kwong.

"A total of 195 people - 193 from Hong Kong and two Macau citizens - flew to Hong Kong on the three chartered flights and all were sent to Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan for a 14-day quarantine," Au said.

Many members of the Director of Immigration Erick Tsang Kwok-wai's task force also took the third chartered flight that left Tokyo at 1.55am yesterday and arrived around 6am.

Tsang said the operation is not yet over as several immigration officers have remained in Tokyo and an extra team of 10 officers have just arrived to assist Hongkongers left behind.

As of yesterday, 70 Hong Kong residents were among over 630 confirmed Covid-19 cases from the Diamond Princess, Au said.

Around 30 Hongkongers, classified as close contacts of the confirmed patients, have been quarantined in Japan for 14 days from their last day of contact with the confirmed cases.

Au said the suspected cases must test negative for Covid-19, without exhibiting symptoms and be fit for traveling, but stopped short of saying if a fourth chartered flight would be arranged.

Health minister Katsunobu Kato yesterday apologized for allowing a woman to leave the vessel on Wednesday before testing positive on Saturday, prompting concerns over containment efforts.

Tokyo also admitted that 23 passengers were able to disembark without being tested.

Au said no Hongkongers were among the 23, but his team would monitor the situation.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun called on the government to quickly prepare a fourth flight.

"There are still 32 close contacts of the confirmed patients stranded in Japan, and they were sent to different hospitals or quarantine camps, which are far from Tokyo, some even in Osaka," Cheng said, adding that the facilities housing Hongkongers were shabby and had no medical workers.

Cheng suggested the government assist special cases, including three members of the Wong family who missed all three flights when their departure was delayed to take a second virus test. They were earlier told their first test might not be accurate.

Local health authorities said they had been in touch with at least six Hong Kong patients from the cruise liner who are in serious condition, saying they were receiving appropriate care and treatment in Japan.

All 70 Hong Kong patients remain in hospital, said Bonnie Wong Chun-kwan, senior medical and health officer at the Department of Health.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com