Quarantine ends: Aussies on Diamond Princess come home

An unidentified passenger is surrounded by the media after she disembarked from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship Wednesday, 19 February, 2020.

A passenger disembarks from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship on Wednesday. Source: AAP

After weeks of isolation, the official quarantine period on the cruise ship of Diamond Princess has ended. Almost 200 Australians will be going to Darwin where they will spend 14 more days in quarantine.


The disembarking of the passengers in Diamond Princess is underway. Close to 200 people will be returning to Australia, with Health Minister, Greg Hunt saying the flight should be arriving later tonight or early tomorrow.

"At the moment the flight is scheduled for Wednesday. The precise time is being determined with the Japanese authorities, which will mean they should arrive here either Wednesday night or Thursday morning, depending on when the departure is being completed from the ship," he said. 

However 15 Australians have chosen to stay behind, by the side of their loved ones who have been infected with coronavirus. 

''It's 15 precisely and the predominant reason for that is that they are staying with family members who have contracted the virus and receiving medical attention in Japan. We have over 30 Australians who've contracted the virus who are on the Diamond Princess so that is the predominant reason for those 15 people for those today,'' said Australia's Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. 

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Buses wait for the passengers disembarking from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship
Buses wait for the passengers disembarking from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship Source: AAP

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Quarantine ends: Aussies on Diamond Princess come home | SBS Greek