YOKOHAMA, Japan — Relieved passengers began leaving a coronavirus-wracked cruise ship in Japan on Wednesday after testing negative for the disease that has now claimed more than 2,000 lives in China. Related Stories WHO urges calm as China virus death toll reaches 2,000The ship is the biggest cluster outside China, where new figures showed the death toll surging beyond 2,000 with more than 74,000 infected. There have been 900 cases around the world, with five deaths in France, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Nathalie MacDermott, a medical expert at King's College London, stressed the importance of continued quarantine even after leaving the ship. But people in Yokohama appeared supportive of the decision to allow the passengers out despite the virus fears.

Source: Philippine Star February 19, 2020 02:15 UTC