Imagine being on a cruise ship with 5,000 complete strangers just to become stranded just off of Asia due to a microscopic virus entitled the coronavirus. This sometimes lethal virus began in a small food stand in Wuhan, China, but is currently being determined if the initial cause could be due to bats. So far in 2020, 500 deaths have been linked to this virus and over 25,000 confirmed cases world wide. Diseases are known to spread more rapidly through cruise ships as a result of a large group of people being so close to one another.

3,700 people are currently being quarantined on the Diamond Princess. The panic on the ship all began when a man was diagnosed on it. Taking precautions the ship’s crew screened over 280 people who showed any symptoms of illness. So far only 20 of the passengers have been diagnosed and medflighted to hospitals. With a widespread epidemic like the coronavirus people already have it in the back of their heads, so when it is so close to you, you have no other choice but to be scared. Even though the mortality rates are low, there is still a chance and that is what people really care about.

People who are being quarantined on the ship are locked in their rooms and having their temperature checked frequently, for any sign of illness could be linked to the coronavirus. The “vacationers” are trapped on this so called “floating prison” for two weeks. The people on this ship have food being delivered to their cabins for they can not leave due to risk of contamination. They have to spread the food supply they have so that it lasts for two weeks. Most guests just get bread with lettuce on it.

Since yesterday ten more passengers have tested positive for the virus. Leaving the other passengers on the sea for another week and a half at least. People dream vacations turned into

what seems like a Stephen King movie. Some of the passengers describe it as an actual “living hell”.

In the end because of one ill person, it permanently affected the lives of 5,000 people.