SINGAPORE — Five Singaporeans are on board a quarantined cruise ship off Japan, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Friday (Feb 7).

In response to queries from TODAY, an MFA spokesperson said that the five Singaporeans have reported that they are physically well. The Singapore embassy is in contact with the Singaporeans to provide consular assistance.

Around 3,700 people are on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been placed under a two-week quarantine since arriving at the Yokohama port south of Tokyo on Monday.

Japan's health ministry saidthat  273 people on board have been tested for the novel coronavirus because they were either showing symptoms or had been in close contact with those who did, Reuters reported.

Out of those tested, 61 people were found to have the virus, with 41 cases confirmed on Friday.

The Japan Times reported that the newly diagnosed patients include 21 Japanese, eight Americans, five Australians, five Canadians, one Argentine and one Briton. Officials said that none of the 41 new cases are showing severe symptoms, and that they would be taken to hospitals in five Japan prefectures.

The 20 people who were diagnosed earlier have already been removed from the ship, including one who was in serious condition, AFP reported.

Japan's Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said that further tests would be conducted if more passengers on board the ship developed symptoms, Reuters reported. WITH AGENCIES