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A Daventry man and his wife on board a quarantined cruise ship in Japan says a "depression" is starting to set in amongst passengers.

David Abel, from Woodford Halse, near Daventry, is one of some 3,700 passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been docked in Yokohama Bay under quarantine for the past seven days following an outbreak of coronavirus.

But as of today (February 10), at least 130 people have tested positive for the virus and have been taken off the ship for treatment at Japanese hospitals.

Daventry man David Abel says a sense of "depression" is setting in on board the cruise ship quarantined in Japan.

And David, who has been documenting life on the ship through regular videos on his Facebook page, says the quarantine is causing a low mood amongst passengers.

In a video posted at around 11am GMT today, David said: "A lot of the passengers now are getting a wee bit despondent. It looks like we'll be here for another nine days.

"We've been told that on February 19, we will be tested again and if we are clear of the virus then we will be allowed to go.

"Lots of the passengers now are getting a bit of cabin fever. Depression is starting to set in."

Mr Abel and his wife have been sharing a glimpse into life on the cruise ship through regular videos on his Facebook page.

Today, the Guardian reported that 60 more cases have been confirmed on the ship, bringing the total number of infected passengers to 130. Five of the cases are understood to be crew members.

Passengers in interior cabins have been allowed out on deck in shifts to get fresh air, and meals are being brought to cabins. Nicotine gum is being provided to smokers as well.

David said: "There are people who have it far, far worse than us. There are people on their own because their partners are in hospital, or just people who have come on holiday on their own.

"Passengers in the inside cabins are getting priority, and are getting more outdoor time, which I applaud."

The ship was quarantined on February 3 when a passenger who boarded from Hong Kong tested positive for the virus.

To date, the disease has killed at least 908 people, chiefly in mainland China, and infected more than 40,000.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has described the virus as a 'serious and imminent' thread to public health, the BBC reports.

Northamptonshire man on board quarantined coronavirus cruise ship says passengers are growing 'despondent'