Quebec couple cleared of coronavirus, headed home after being quarantined in Japan
The Ménards, both in their 70s, were among more than 700 who got sick aboard Diamond Princess cruise ship
A Quebec couple who contracted the novel coronavirus aboard a cruise ship in Asia have recovered and are set to return to Canada in the coming days, their daughter said Sunday.
Chantal Ménard told Radio-Canada that her mother, Diane, has tested negative a second time for COVID-19, confirming she no longer has the illness. Her father, Benard Ménard, was cleared after a second negative test last week.
The Ménards, both in their 70s, were infected while passengers aboard the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was turned into a quarantine station after an outbreak of the virus last month.
More than 700 people contracted COVID-19 aboard the ship, which has been docked in Yokohama, Japan, since early February.
After testing positive for COVID-19 in mid-February, the Ménards were transported to a Japanese military hospital.
Chantal Ménard said her mother will likely spend a night or two in a hotel before returning to Canada with her husband. She didn't know whether her parents will be quarantined further when they arrive.
She said she'll wait a few days before visiting them, in person, at their home in Gatineau, Que. Her parents have been gone since Jan. 4.
"They underwent a serious traumatic shock, which the Red Cross confirmed to me. So we're going to let them decompress for a bit," Chantal Ménard said.
There has been only one confirmed case of coronavirus in Quebec — a woman who tested positive soon after returning from Iran last week. Quebec public health officials say the woman is recovering well at home.
Of the 105 potential samples of COVID-19 tested by public health officials in the province so far, 104 have come back negative.
With files from Radio-Canada