New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): Several Indian crew members and passengers on board a cruise ship have been quarantined off Japan because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

In a tweet on Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "Many Indian crew & some Indian passengers are onboard the cruise ship #DiamondPrincess quarantined off Japan due to #Coronavirus. None have tested positive, as per the latest information provided by our Embassy @IndianEmbTokyo. We are closely following the developments."

Earlier, Japan's Health Ministry confirmed that the number of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess ship off the coast of Yokohama reached 61.

The 61 confirmed patients are from Japan (28); the US (11); Australia and Canada (seven);

China (three); and the UK, New Zealand, Taiwan, Philippines, Argentina (one), according to the authorities.

The Ministry has asked the rest of the passengers and crew members to remain on the ship for at least 14 days, the estimated maximum time for the incubation of the virus.

In total, the roughly 2,700 passengers and 1,000 crew come from 56 countries.

The first man to be identified was a Hong Kong citizen in his 80s. The ship sailed on January 20 from Yokohama and went through Okinawa and Kagoshima in southwest Japan.