Corona Daily 463: American Couple at Sea: Part Final

If you feel this is an unending story, you are beginning to get some idea of the American couple’s feelings during the Japan quarantine.

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After the evacuated passengers reached the USA, Kent heard eleven passengers had tested positive.  The 300+ evacuees were transferred to US air force bases for another 14-day quarantine. By now the Diamond Princess warranted a special category in the daily reports of WHO and Worldometer.

In her 17 Feb interview taken by an American TV channel, Rebecca is seen depressed and frustrated. (As opposed to her optimistic, cheerful interview a week before). She blamed the US government for abandoning them. This was unacceptable, she said. As a result, she received another volley of abuse calling her selfish, one person describing the ship as a leper colony.

On 20 Feb, the Japanese health ministry announced the death of two passengers from Diamond Princess. An American channel interviewed Kent on Facetime. ‘It was so shocking to think this person had gone on a vacation and the next thing you know they’re dead. It just seemed so preventable.’ He said. That evening Rebecca and he chatted for a long time.

By now, the Diamond Princess resembled a ghost ship. Kent only saw crew members at meal times. Sometimes they forgot he was still on board. On 22 Feb. he was among the last passengers to leave the ship. The American embassy was no longer contactable. In Tokyo, Kent was on his own.

He went to Rebecca’s hospital, but was denied permission to enter. She came to the window of her room, and they talked on Facetime. In the next two weeks, Kent had to move hotels twice. This was part of the post-ship 14-day quarantine. On learning he came from the Diamond Princess, two hotels asked him to leave.

On 4 March, a month after the last date of their cruise, Kent and Rebecca finally met. They decided to celebrate their reunion by visiting Disneyland, Tokyo. Online they found Disneyland was shut to prevent the spread of the virus. Finally, they left for the airport, psychologically prepared to serve another two-week quarantine after arriving in the USA.

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Post-script: Cruise liners are a big part of the tourism industry carrying 26 million passengers annually. At any given point, 314 cruise ships worldwide carry more than 500,000 passengers and nearly 200,000 crew workers.

Diamond Princess has had 712 cases and 14 deaths so far. Over 40 ships have had confirmed positive cases. 70 passengers have died so far.

At the time of writing this, more than 100,000 crew members are trapped in ships with outbreaks, with little access to medical help, without pay and no end date for their confinement.

Nobody needs to hurry to book their next cruise vacation.

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Ravi