A British man on a cruise ship that has been in quarantine for nearly a month has hinted that he may be the victim of a conspiracy to silence him.

David Abel and wife Sally revealed that they had been told they had tested positive for the virus and were being removed from the Diamond Princess where 454 people have caught the illness. However, he later revealed that they were being taken to a hostel rather than a hospital and with no communication with the outside.

The couple have kept the world up to date with their plight aboard the cruise liner which has been docked in Yokohama, near Tokyo for nearly a month. Revealing the diagnosis they had been given, he said: ‘There is going to be a time of quiet.

We have been proved positive and leaving for hospital soon. Blessings all xxx’ However, when it emerged they were not going to hospital he updated his followers saying: ‘Frankly i think this is a setup! We are NOT being taken to a hospital but a hostel.

That’s where partners are sent waiting out there quarantine. No phone, no wi-fi and no medical facilities. I really am smelling a very big rat here! Waiting for the transfer now. xx’

Raising fears that he may be part of a conspiracy to silence his updates, he replied to a follower asking if he was sure of the diagnosis, he said: ‘I doubt it was positive. If it was, we would be in hospital’. He also said ‘maybe’ when asked if someone was trying to keep him quiet.

David also told followers that he had not shown any symptoms of the disease and he was unsure if they would be kept at the hostel together. David and Sally tweeted an appeal to Sir Richard Branson to repatriate Brits stuck on the ship and the Foreign Office said they were working on a way to evacuate UK residents. The couple’s son Steve Abel renewed appeals for the Government to help his parents, who he fears may become separated in Japan.

While awaiting the results of their tests Mrs Abel said: ‘Before anybody says I look tired – I am tired, and the reason being because the Americans didn’t leave here until the early hours of the morning and we’d been in bed several hours.

‘Every half an hour we would be woken with an announcement for the next lot to go down to the coaches. So that’s why we look tired – after this recording we will have a nap.’

READ ALSO:

Fourth person dies in Storm Dennis and two people are still missing

The couple said the last announcements were at 1am and that breakfast had been served to them at 6am. Mrs Abel said: ‘We haven’t had very much sleep at all.’ Two other Britons, Alan Steele, who tested positive for the virus earlier this month, and his wife, Wendy, who tested negative, have also criticised Japan’s handling of the outbreak and the British government’s lack of action.

Mr Steele, who said he has now been given the all-clear, said on Facebook on Sunday that confining people to their cabins was starting to take a toll on passengers’ mental health. More than 70 Britons stranded on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship could be flown home, Downing Street has confirmed.

A Number 10 spokesman said those on board the Diamond Princess, which is docked in Yokohama, off the coast of Japan, were being contacted about the possibility of a repatriation flight. It comes after pressure mounted on the Foreign Office to evacuate British nationals from the ship. On Sunday, the US charted two planes and flew home 340 of its citizens while other countries, including Canada, Hong Kong and Australia, have said they are organising flights to remove people from the ship.

On Monday, the Japanese Health Ministry confirmed 99 more people on board have been diagnosed with coronavirus illness, also known as Covid-19, bringing the total to 454.

There are 74 Britons on the Diamond Princess, of which 22 are crew members. A Number 10 spokesman said: ‘We sympathise with all those caught up in this extremely difficult situation. ‘The Foreign Office is in contact with all British people on the Diamond Princess, including to establish interest in a possible repatriation flight.

‘We are urgently considering all options to guarantee the health and safety of those on board.’