FUKUSHIMA, Japan — A Utah woman aboard a quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China.
In a video posted to Facebook from a hospital in Fukushima early Saturday morning (MST), Jerri Jorgensen said that after some miscommunication with hospital workers, she learned she had tested positive for the disease. In a previous video just over an hour before, Jorgensen said she was told everything looked good in the tests administered except for her temperature. Still, she said she would be in the hospital for two weeks.
Her husband Mark posted a video Friday night announcing that Jerri had been taken off the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was docked in Yokohama, and transported to a hospital due to her test results. At the time, they did not confirm if she had tested positive for COVID-19, also called the novel coronavirus.
The couple, who reside St. George, were on the quarantined cruise ship since Feb. 5.
The Utah Department of Health confirmed to FOX 13 Saturday that they were aware of two Utahns who tested positive for the virus in Japan. There have still not been any reported cases in the state.
John Haering of Tooele also contracted the virus on board the ship and was taken to a hospital. According to The Associated Press, 380 Americans were on board the ship, and a total of 285 people on the ship have tested positive for the virus. Plans are underway to transport any Americans not showing signs of the virus to Air Force bases in Texas and California.
