A Croatian citizen who had spent time on the Diamond Princess cruise liner in Japan arrived in Croatia on Saturday morning and was placed in the quarantine unit of the Dr Fran Mihaljevic Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb. He has no symptoms of infection with the coronavirus and he feels good.

The man arrived in Zagreb via Germany and Slovenia in a special medical vehicle accompanied by medical staff. He was placed as a precaution in the quarantine unit of the Dr Fran Mihaljevic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, set up following yesterday’s decision by Health Minister Vili Beros at the proposal of the Croatian Public Health Institute, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Attending doctors said that the man exhibited no symptoms of infection and felt good. Notwithstanding the time he spent in isolation on the cruise liner, he will stay in the quarantine unit for at least 14 days as a precaution to eliminate any risks given the high-risk epidemiological situation on the ship he came from, the statement said.

“Croatian health services will leave nothing to chance. We will continue to take all precautionary measures available to protect our citizens from a possible risk of the coronavirus infection, including by quarantining people with even the smallest risk to their health or the health of people who come in contact with them,” Minister Beros said.

“I am glad that our citizen is aware of his situation and that he himself has expressed a wish to stay in isolation as long as necessary medically,” he added.

The Croatian citizen arrived from Japan aboard a special flight organised by Italy for its and other EU citizens. After landing in Berlin, he and Slovenian citizens were flown by a special plane to Maribor, from where he was transferred to Zagreb by a special medical vehicle.

The man is in constant touch with his family by telephone, the statement said.