U.S. officials in hazmat suits boarded a cruise liner on Sunday to fly home Americans quarantined for two weeks off Japan, while 15 Israelis, two of them are reported to have been infected with the virus, are still waiting on board.
After being held on board the Diamond Princess since Feb. 3, American passengers were told to get ready for Sunday evening charter flights home from the cruise liner, which accounts for around half of all confirmed coronavirus cases outside China.
Canadian, Italian, South Korean and Hong Kong passengers were expected to follow, after their governments also announced plans to repatriate passengers.