TOYKO, Japan — Japan's Health Ministry says two passengers taken off the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess after being infected with the new virus have died, becoming the first fatalities from the vessel.
The ministry says both were Japanese in their 80s and had preexisting diseases.
The Diamond Princess has started letting passengers who tested negative for the virus off the ship, and the process will continue through Friday.
An infectious diseases expert has criticized the quarantine on the ship, calling it chaotic with overlaps of clean and contaminated zones.
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