Northamptonshire coronavirus couple have hopes of flying home dashed

A Northamptonshire couple's hopes of finally flying home have been cruelly dashed after more than five weeks quarantined in Japan.

David Abel revealed on a YouTube video that what should have been his final coronavirus test came back positive.

David and his wife Sally Abel, from Woodford Halse near Daventry, spent more than two weeks in quarantine on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess before testing positive for the Covid-19 virus and being moved to a Japanese hospital on February 21.

Neither developed any symptoms of the disease but need three successive negative tests before being allowed home.

Both their previous tests had been negative, but Mr Abel revealed: “The good news is that Sally is now negative, totally all clear, good to return to the UK ... but she won’t because I have had a positive.

"It really has surprised everybody but I have now got to go back to square one with more tests.

"I am clear of the virus, I am convinced of that. But this test that they do is so sensitive it will pick up any minute remnant. That's what's happened so they won't take any chances.

“They have agreed to allow Sally to remain here so we can be company for one another. She won’t get reinfected because we have got the same strain. Her immune system is now really well established."

The couple set off on cruise to celebrate their Golden Wedding on January 18. But their ship was quarantined off the coast of Japan on February 3 after a passenger – who had got off in Hong Kong more than a week earlier – tested positive for Covid-19.

Eight passengers who were on the ship have died – including one British national who lived abroad – and more than 700 were infected,

But the experience has not put the couple off cruising and they are set to take to seas again in August.

Mr Abel, 73, said: “End of April we hope to be in Vancouver and going on the Rocky Mountaineer (train). We hope to be taking a cruise, the Diamond Dave and Princess Sally cruise, in August. If it is safe we will be doing it.”