An Australian couple onboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan are sitting tight after 10 passengers were taken off after being infected with the deadly coronavirus.
Paul and Jacqui, from Cairns in Queensland, told Nine Network the ship carrying 3,700 people including 233 Australians, was quiet after the alarming news broke on Wednesday.
"We are just kind of sitting tight really," Jacqui said.
"It's a little bit daunting. But look, we can't do anything ... We are good strong healthy people and we've got good immune systems and fingers crossed that ... we can fight it off."
The couple along with everyone else on board the Diamond Princess anchored off Yokohama port near Tokyo face two weeks of quarantine and isolation.
All of the passengers have been confined to their cabins.
Japan health officials have confirmed 10 passengers, including two Australians, have so far tested positive for the virus.
A handout photo from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that has been quarantined in Japan. Source: David Abel, Facebook
The infected patients were transferred by Japan's coast guard to hospitals on the mainland while the remainder of the passengers and crew were placed in quarantine.
It's believed the virus was brought onboard by an infected 80-year-old Hong Kong man, who joined part of the 14-day cruise and tested positive for the virus after disembarking on 25 January.
The virus emerged in the city of Wuhan in China in December and has so far killed 492 people.
