YOKOHAMA: Ten people on a cruise ship quarantined near Yokohama have tested positive for a new coronavirus originating in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the health minister said Wednesday.

The ship, the Diamond Princess, with some 3,700 people aboard, has been kept in quarantine at anchor off the coast of Yokohama after an 80-year-old passenger from Hong Kong was found to be infected with the pneumonia-causing virus.

Of all the passengers and crew, 273 who had close contact with the infected passenger took the virus test, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato said at a news conference.

Results for 31 of them came back, and 10 people in their 50s to 80s were found to be infected and are being sent to a hospital, he said, adding that none are showing severe symptoms.

The government is requiring all passengers and crew, from 56 countries and regions, to stay on the ship for two more weeks from Wednesday, Kato said.