--- title: This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World description: With 218 COVID-19 cases, nearly 6% of those aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been infected. canonical: https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/ author: Hillary Leung article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2020-02-13T09:31:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T19:34:26.000Z article:section: Health og:title: This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World og:description: There are now 218 cases out of 3,711 passengers and crew og:url: https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468103279cee3e18/698a0a3997cdff4afb6ba53b/quarantined-ship.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: quarantined-ship.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World twitter:description: There are now 218 cases out of 3,711 passengers and crew twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468103279cee3e18/698a0a3997cdff4afb6ba53b/quarantined-ship.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:02 video:published: 2020-02-13 section: world topics: cruise ship quarantine, coronavirus outbreak, passenger confinement, daily testing, medical staff on board, disembarkation date, British passengers, Japan, couple separation fears, morale genre: interview, news report tones: anxious, weary, candid, resigned emotions: anxiety (medium), fatigue (high), sadness (medium), resignation (medium) sentiment: negative audience: general news audience, people following the coronavirus outbreak, UK readers, travelers content_suitability: health controversy [00:00-02:02] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=af04c0ac-5b73-4e07-819e-c17851282bc9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=af04c0ac-5b73-4e07-819e-c17851282bc9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=af04c0ac-5b73-4e07-819e-c17851282bc9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=af04c0ac-5b73-4e07-819e-c17851282bc9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: U.K. Couple Talks Life Aboard the Quarantined Cruise Ship in Japan [Watch (HLS stream): U.K. Couple Talks Life Aboard the Quarantined Cruise Ship in Japan](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/nUr5gug6.m3u8) (2:02)  _Published 2020-02-13. A British couple quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan because of the new coronavirus said Wednesday that life on board the liner was "getting harder"._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary A British couple describe their experience confined to a cabin aboard a quarantined cruise ship. They say conditions and care are good but the confinement is wearing on passengers' moods. They explain that more passengers are testing positive as medical staff come aboard and testing proceeds daily. They mention an expected disembarkation date being brought forward for those without symptoms. They also voice concern about being separated if one of them tests positive and the other negative. ## Key points - The couple say conditions on the ship are very good and they are being looked after well, but being confined to their cabin is getting harder. (00:00) - They are in their second week of confinement, which one of them says 'seems an eternity'. (00:00) - A passenger kept others awake at night; an elderly woman cried in her cabin for a couple of hours. (00:15) - As each day passes, additional people are testing positive. (00:27) - About 24 hours earlier, 55 doctors, 45 nurses and 30-something pharmacists were brought on board and are staying on the ship. (00:42) - Passengers are now being tested, which is why results are coming in on a daily basis. (00:42) - The 19th of February disembarkation date is being brought forward for people without symptoms who have been through testing, according to what they understand. (01:11) - They fear being split up if one of them tests positive and the other negative, which they do not want to happen. (01:55) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:27] Confinement wearing on passengers. The couple describe good conditions but worsening moods after more than a week confined to cabins. - [00:27 to 01:11] Rising cases and medical staff arrive. They explain that new positive tests are emerging as doctors, nurses and pharmacists board and begin daily testing. - [01:11 to 01:55] Disembarkation date being brought forward. They discuss the expected earlier disembarkation for passengers without symptoms who have been tested. - [01:55 to 02:02] Fear of being separated. They express concern about being split up if one tests positive and the other negative. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Passenger: "I mean the conditions are very good, they're looking after us very well but obviously we are confined to our cabin and it's getting harder." - [00:00] Passenger: "You know we're now into the second week and it seems an eternity." - [00:15] Passenger: "One of the passengers in the night were keeping other passengers awake, an old lady who was crying for a couple of hours in her cabin." - [01:55] Passenger: "One of Us Was Positive and One Negative and We're Split Up. That's What We Don't Want To Happen." ## Questions this video answers - What are conditions like for passengers confined to cabins on the quarantined ship? [00:00] - How is the quarantine affecting passengers' moods? [00:15] - What medical staff were brought on board the ship? [00:42] - Why are positive test results being reported daily? [00:42] - What is happening with the planned disembarkation date? [01:11] - What worry do the couple have about testing results? [01:55] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:00-02:02]: Discussion of a coronavirus outbreak aboard a quarantined ship, including positive test results among passengers and distress from confinement. by [Hillary Leung](https://time.com/author/hillary-leung/) ## Hillary Leung Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:34 PM UTCPublished: Feb 13, 2020 9:31 AM UTC A British couple quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan because of the new coronavirus said Wednesday that life on board the liner was "getting harder". by [Hillary Leung](https://time.com/author/hillary-leung/) ## Hillary Leung Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:34 PM UTCPublished: Feb 13, 2020 9:31 AM UTC The number of patients infected with the [COVID-19 coronavirus](https://time.com/5783401/covid19-hubei-cases-classification/) aboard a quarantined cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan has continued to rise—making the ship the largest cluster of the deadly virus outside China. An additional 44 cases of the illness [were identified](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/13/national/coronavirus-diamond-princess/#.XkTZrhMzZ-U) on the _Diamond Princess_ on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections to 218\. That accounts for more than one third of all cases detected outside mainland China. Japanese health officials will allow elderly passengers to leave the cruise ship and complete their quarantines at a shoreside facility if they test negative for COVID-19, the country’s health ministry said Thursday. With nearly 6% of the 3,711 passengers and crew members now infected, the 952-foot cruise ship also has the highest infection rate of [the coronavirus](https://time.com/5782284/who-name-coronavirus-covid-19/) anywhere in the world. Wuhan, China, the city where the disease is believed to have originated has nearly 33,000 official cases—but spread across a population of more than 11 million, that’s an infection rate of less than 0.3%. _Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking_ [_on this link_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/coronavirus?source=article)_, and please send any tips, leads, and stories to_ [_virus@time.com_](mailto:virus@time.com)_._ Health experts say the _Diamond Princess_ [highlights](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/06/national/science-health/cruise-ship-coronavirus-outbreak-highlights-risk-spread-confined-spaces-japan-experts-say/#.XjvRzBMzZ-U) the high risk that an infection will spread in confined spaces. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, close-contact environments such as cruises [can facilitate](https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/management/guidance-cruise-ships-influenza-updated.html) the transmission of viruses through droplets or contaminated surfaces.  The Diamond Princess cruise ship sits docked at Daikoku Pier in Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 10, 2020. Carl Court—Getty Images And due to the long duration that passengers are on their vessel, traveling on a cruise ship could present higher infection risks than other forms of transportation, like planes and trains, according to Hui-ling Yen, an expert on influenza transmission at the University of Hong Kong. “On an airplane, if there were exposure to the virus, you probably only have one generation of transmission because of the duration of the flight. On a cruise, the transmission could be sequential. One person may infect another, who may infect another,” she says. “You could have an ongoing transmission trend.” The past few days have seen an exponential increase, but the worst could be over, Yen says. “This few days should have been the peak. Most of the literature about the virus ​reported that the mean incubation period is around 5 days. So if the quarantine works, we should start to see a decline soon,” Yen adds. According to [Japan _Times_](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/13/national/coronavirus-diamond-princess/#.XkULyhMzbOQ), 29 of the latest batch of 44 people infected with the coronavirus are Japanese, with the remaining 15 from other countries. One case is a crew member. A large majority of the newly confirmed patients are elderly. The passengers and crew on the _Diamond Princess_ are halfway through a 14-day quarantine on the virus-stricken cruise ship. [The quarantine](https://time.com/5775892/coronavirus-response/) began Feb. 5 after the company learned that a passenger from Hong Kong who had previously been onboard had tested positive for coronavirus. The quarantine has been set to end Feb. 19. Japan’s health minister Katsunobu Kato said Thursday that passengers age 80 or older will be permitted to disembark the cruise ship if they test negative for the virus and complete their quarantine at a temporary facility. “On the cruise ship, there are elderly with pre-existing conditions and those who are staying inside rooms without windows having to take part in the quarantine period,” Kato said, according to [_Japan Times_](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/13/national/japanese-government-weighs-%C2%A5500-billion-emergency-spending-package-cope-covid-19-outbreak/#.XkahwZNKjfY). “In those situations, as they have no choice but to stay for a long time period, there are individuals whose chronic illnesses get worse and compromise their health.” Individuals who test negative and want to leave the ship can begin disembarking as early as Friday, Kato said. Princess Cruises [confirmed](https://www.princess.com/news/notices%5Fand%5Fadvisories/notices/diamond-princess-update.html) the Japanese government’s decision in a statement. “From the information available it is our understanding that this will be a phased approach, with the most medically vulnerable guests in the first phase, including older adults with pre-existing health conditions,” the company said. Those who test positive for the virus will be taken to a local hospital for further examination and isolation, according to the cruise line. Until they are evacuated or the quarantine period ends, passengers have been largely confined to their rooms; their chief interactions are with crew members who deliver food three times a day, a number of passengers on the cruise told TIME. Since the weekend, they have been allowed out on the open decks in shifts for about an hour at a time, provided they wear face masks and stand no closer than 2 meters (6.5 feet) to each other. Kent Frasure, a 42-year-old passenger from Portland, Oregon, is alone in his cabin after his wife tested positive for the virus and was brought to a hospital. “\[She has\] no symptoms and is not receiving any treatment or medication,” he says. “They are checking her temperature and vitals every day.” **Read more:** [_‘Like I’m in a Bad Movie.’ Concerns Mount on Quarantined Ship as More Passengers Test Positive for Coronavirus_](https://time.com/5781727/diamond-princess-coronavirus-cruise-ship-quarantine/) As the number of cases on the cruise continues to rise sharply, passengers said they want everyone on board to be tested. Up till now, only those who have reported symptoms and who live in the same cabins as passengers who have been diagnosed with the virus have been tested. (It is unclear how many passengers have taken tests, though the Japanese health ministry [said Wednesday](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/12/national/science-health/japan-covid-19-test-kit-shortage-cruise-ship/#.XkTgXhMzZ-U) that 492 samples—includes specimens collected from the same people multiple times—have been collected.) But a shortage in COVID-19 test kits has prevented health authorities from widespread testing, with authorities acknowledging a “limited capacity to process virus test samples.” Given the lack of testing kits, officials say [they are](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/13/national/coronavirus-diamond-princess/#.XkTZrhMzZ-U) prioritizing elderly passengers and those living in windowless rooms. They will be tested first and allowed to disembark if they are found to be negative. The Japanese health authorities will house them at designated lodgings when they are on land. Globally, [more than](https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6) 60,000 people have been infected with the virus, and more than 1,300 have died as a result. The vast majority of cases are in[ mainland China](https://time.com/5778994/coronavirus-china-country-future/). The _Diamond Princess_ is among the cruise ships that have been caught in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak. The _Westerdam_, which was denied entry to five ports including in Thailand, Taiwan and the U.S. territory of Guam, finally [docked in](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-cambodia-cruiseship/cruise-ship-shunned-over-coronavirus-fears-arrives-in-cambodia-idUSKBN20702I) Cambodia Thursday morning. Last week, passengers on the _World Dream_ cruise ship in Hong Kong were[ held for four days](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3049714/coronavirus-3600-passengers-and-crew-members) after the company learned that three passengers who had sailed on the vessel earlier were confirmed to have the virus. Passengers were finally allowed to disembark on Monday after all crew tested negative for the virus. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/"},"headline":"This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World","datePublished":"2020-02-13T09:31:05.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T19:34:26.000Z","description":"Passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked at Japan's Yokohama Bay, are halfway through their 14-day quarantine","url":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/","keywords":["COVID-19","Japan","Travel","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468103279cee3e18/698a0a3997cdff4afb6ba53b/quarantined-ship.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Hillary Leung","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/hillary-leung/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468103279cee3e18/698a0a3997cdff4afb6ba53b/quarantined-ship.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"quarantined-ship.jpg","caption":"Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Remains Quarantined As Coronavirus Cases Grow","creditText":"Carl Court—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/covid-19/","name":"COVID-19"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/","name":"This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"U.K. Couple Talks Life Aboard the Quarantined Cruise Ship in Japan","description":"A British couple quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan because of the new coronavirus said Wednesday that life on board the liner was \"getting harder\".","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/nUr5gug6/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2020-02-13T09:35:39.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/nUr5gug6.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/","duration":"PT2M2S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5783451/covid-19-princess-diamond-cruise-ship/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```