CECC advises self-caution after Diamond Princess cruise liner visit

Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) People who had previously been to several specific locations around Taipei, Keelung City and New Taipei on Jan. 31 that were visited by passengers from the now quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, are advised to take precautionary measures amid concerns that some of the cruise line visitors may have contracted the novel coronavirus virus.

According to Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Friday, a preliminary investigation has identified the locations the passengers had visited, when the cruise ship docked at Keelung Port on a 10-hour stopover.

The places the passengers visited include the Taipei 101 skyscraper, Jiufen and Shifen towns in New Taipei City, as well as Ximending District in Taipei.

The ship, carrying 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members, has been quarantined off the coast of Yokohama, Japan, since it returned to port there on Monday.

On Friday, 41 new cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) on the ill-fated Diamond Princess were confirmed, bringing the total number of people on board the vessel infected with the virus to 61, according to Japanese media reports.

The authorities have not yet said whether any of the 61 infected people were among a reported 1,000 passengers who got off the ship and toured northern Taiwan on Jan. 31.

The CECC on Friday advised people who have visited the locations in northern Taiwan that the cruise passengers toured to adopt safety measures.

"Due to the Wuhan epidemic, anyone who had been to the following locations from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 (http://bit.ly/2SpSxeT), please conduct self-health management until Feb. 14," according to an electronic announcement the CECC issued to Taiwan's mobile phone users via the country's Public Warning System (PWS).

The system is used to send important text message alerts to the public, such as after an earthquake or to warn people about a possible tsunami.

Based on the CECC's interpretation, self-health management means that people are advised to avoid going out, and if they must leave their home, they should wear a surgical face mask at all times. If they have a fever or symptoms of respiratory illness, they are advised to call the CECC hotline at 1922.

The detailed locations visited by the cruise passengers can be viewed in the map below.