Japanese health authorities say they give priority to those who want to leave the ship and are over 80 years old, those with underlying illnesses and those who live in cabins without windows.

218 people on the Diamond Princess cruise ship moored in Japan have been infected by the virus. The infected have been evacuated from the boat and for four of them the condition is serious according to Japan's Health Minister Katsunobu Kato.

The more than 3,000 passengers on the cruise ship have been in quarantine since the boat arrived in Japan early last week. The virus was discovered after a passenger who got off the ship in Hong Kong was tested positive.

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The quarantine is scheduled to continue until February 19, but on Saturday, the US Embassy wrote a letter to the American passengers on the boat that they should be evacuated to the United States.

"We understand that it has been a stressful experience and we are determined to provide all the support we can to make sure you come home safely and quickly reunite with family and friends in the United States," the embassy writes in the letter.

A chartered plane will fly home to the Americans on Sunday, reports the New York Times.

The Covid-19 outbreak has so far claimed more than 1,500 human lives in China and more than 67,000 people have been infected.