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First British national dies from coronavirus in Japan

FILE PHOTO : Passengers leave cruise ship Diamond Princess at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama

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 death brought deaths from the virus in the country to eleven, 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. Britain's foreign ministry declined comment. The Japanese government did not supply the name of the dead man.

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)