Officers in protective gear at a maritime police's base where people who were transferred from cruise ship Diamond Princess in Yokohama, Japan February 5, 2020. — Reuters pic

TOKYO, Feb 23 — A third passenger has died after contracting the coronavirus on a cruise ship that was quarantined off Japan, the country’s health ministry said on Sunday.

In a statement, the ministry identified the victim as a Japanese man in his 80s who was also suffering from other ailments.