First British national dies from coronavirus in Japan

By Tetsushi Kajimoto

TOKYO (Reuters) - A man who had been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship has become the first British national to die from the coronavirus.

Japan’s health ministry said the latest fatality brought deaths from the virus in the country to 11, including six who were on board the cruise ship, which has over 700 cases of the virus.

The Diamond Princess run by Carnival Japan Inc, docked in Yokohama on Feb. 3.

"We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Japan and are in contact with local authorities," Britain's foreign ministry said on Friday. "Our sympathies and thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

The new coronavirus which emerged in Wuhan, China, in December has infected tens of thousands of people.

Earlier, health authorities in the United Kingdom said the country now has 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus after Wales identified its first case and two new cases were found in England.

(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Stephen Addison/Guy Faulconbridge)