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EVACUESS FROM A coronavirus-stricken cruise ship have signalled they are OK as they arrived in Merseyside to be quarantined.
The group, who were trapped on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan for more than two weeks, were bussed to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral today.
One passenger was pictured making a heart sign with her hands while another gave an OK signal through the coach windows as they pulled up just before 6pm.
The masked passengers were split between three coaches along with medical professionals wearing white hazmat suits.
Two police cars, two ambulances, several police motorbikes and a fourth coach with no passengers were also in the convoy.
An accommodation block, separate to the main hospital building, will be home to the evacuees for the next fortnight as they undergo health checks in quarantine.
The passengers, who all tested negative to having Covid-19 before they flew, were brought back to the UK on a repatriation flight.
The plane, carrying 32 British and European evacuees from the vessel, touched down at Ministry of Defence base Boscombe Down in Wiltshire shortly after 11.30am.
As with the previous coachloads brought to Arrowe Park, the bus drivers were not wearing any protective clothing but Public Health England said seating arrangements ensured they were never in close contact with passengers and therefore not at risk.
It is unclear where the small number of EU citizens will be taken following the arrival of the plane, which also carried British government and medical staff.
The four Britons on board the Diamond Princess who have recently tested positive for coronavirus were not on the flight.
Arrowe Park was previously used to host 83 British nationals for a 14-day quarantine period earlier in February after they were flown out of Wuhan in China, which has been at the centre of the outbreak.
Staff at Arrowe Park now have a “blueprint” for how to handle the new arrivals, Wirral Teaching Hospital NHS Trust chief executive Janelle Holmes said.
Speaking today, she said the quarantined group will be “safe, well-managed and comfortable” during their stay at the quarantine accommodation blocks – while the staff previously living there remain in nearby hotels.
Before the flight, one passenger who was diagnosed with Covid-19 and has since been given the all-clear joked that the experience would be like visiting a holiday camp.
Honeymooner Alan Steele was taken to a Japanese hospital and has since tested negative for the virus and been reunited with wife Wendy.
Since being kept on board the cruise liner in the port of Yokohama, a total of 634 passengers and crew have been infected, accounting for more than half of all the confirmed coronavirus cases outside of China.
One British couple on board who were diagnosed with coronavirus have both since been diagnosed with pneumonia.
To those who complain, “Why do we still need Pride?:
Because places like this still exist and could be a death sentence for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community.
@Honorary Derry Girl: Were there protests about the death sentence for homosexuality in many Muslim majority countries at pride? I’m all for anyone living their lives however they want free of bigots, but the failure of pride to call this out is hypocrital. Maybe they do bring it up and I’m wrong, but I’ve never seen it.
@D74Life: That’s a very good point- I agree that should be done but while we’re at it, we could also include countries right within the EU. Pride is pretty much a large positive demonstration of sexual identity but it should also be a message to the world that we’re all equal without singling out a particular religion or country. Being part of the LGBTQIA+ community can be an executable offence in Christian countries like Uganda as well as Muslim countries like Iran.
@Honorary Derry Girl: Absolutely, and it’s great to see pride highlighting Hungry. They’re not alone in Eastern Europe or Russia of course either. My point was just it’s relatively easy to have a go at European mostly white countries. Doing so about Muslim countries is something that people shy away from for fear of being called racist. Even those these countries literally kill homosexuals. I’m not having a go at pride, it’s a difficult subject. But unless it’s addressed, the accusation of hypocrisy will always be there.
@Honorary Derry Girl: Rubbish. As an old git I have know about gays since I was in high school. They are just like everyone else, free to choose their sexual partner unless it is coercive. I was taught to embrace all humanity in its many forms. Labels are not conducive to understanding.
It says a lot about their sexual insecurities and their fragile beliefs when a cartoon kiss upsets them. There is no place on this planet for unfounded hatred of others that are simply living their lives.
If you have no problem with a man kissing a woman in a Disney movie (especially unconscious women like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty) but have a problem with two girls doing the same thing, you’re a homophobic bigot.
Disney has its many issues but fair play to them for this. Yes they are hypocritical but this is a start. Hopefully they will continue with this
@HarveyLemonade: Compare that with Warners cutting a spoken reference to a same sex relationship in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore for release in China.
Ban it over a single kiss? Wtf is wrong with these countries.
It’s Cancel Culture. PC gone mad. So woke.
I never see them take issue with a straight kiss in children’s cartoons. Same with radio discussions; never a topic taking issue with straight people.
@Dean: I think your getting confused. This is right wing conservative censorship. Religious fundamentalism.
Can we not just let Children……. BE CHILDREN….FFS
@Dónal Ó Keeffe: But then they might grow up as adults who aren’t available to be bartered off for a fee to their brothers or uncles.
@Dónal Ó Keeffe: Won’t someone please think of the children!
Dónal “Helen Lovejoy” Ó Keeffe
@Dónal Ó Keeffe: and how are they not being children? Are you suggesting there’s something wrong with the movie?
@Dónal Ó Keeffe: what are you talking about???
I wonder what the anti-woke crusaders make of this. Are they still supporting fReE sPeEcH or are they now aligning their views with conservative Islam, presumably under the guise of their usual “let kids be kids” shtick?
Disney need to keep the kiss in it as in this way at least it might be watched out of curiosity. Going by the reviews, it’s the only interesting thing in the film.
Too bad, how sad. No one is forcing theatres in Malaysia to show this film. People are free to watch or not watch if they want.
have your say