An Italian cruise ship docked in Nagasaki for repairs with 623 crew members aboard has become the latest host of a COVID-19 cluster, with the confirmation of at least 33 infections on Wednesday.
Nagasaki Prefecture confirmed the spike in infections on the Costa Atlantica, currently docked at the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. facility in Nagasaki's Koyagi district. Gov. Hodo Nakamura said Wednesday he would request assistance from the Self-Defense Forces to deal with the outbreak. A committee of Health Ministry experts said it appeared a cluster of infections had occurred aboard the ship.
Those who show symptoms of ill health will be transferred to medical facilities in the area, while those who test negative will be returned to their home countries. As of Wednesday, 57 crew members had been tested.