TOKYO, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) - The Chinese Embassy in Japan on Wednesday received a letter from Hong Kong and Macao compatriots on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama, in which they expressed gratitude for the help and support they have received from the motherland.

(File photo)

"Thank you for everything that you've done for us! Thanks to the great motherland," 14 elderly Chinese passengers -- 12 from Hong Kong and two from Macao -- wrote in the letter, adding that "we are proud to be Chinese because we have the support of our strong motherland when we meet difficulties abroad. Wish our great motherland prosperity!"

As the Diamond Princess has been kept in quarantine after the sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus, passengers are running out of prescription drugs such as drugs against hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and anticoagulants, they wrote in the letter.

After receiving their plea for help, the Embassy made emergency arrangements to deliver the drugs to them in time.

Zhan Kongchao, counsellor and consul-general of the Chinese Embassy in Japan, has visited a Chinese patient in a hospital in the city of Kawasaki. So far the patient is in good condition.

According to data from the Chinese Embassy, there are more than 300 Chinese passengers on board the cruise ship, including 22 from the mainland, 260 from Hong Kong, five from Macao and 24 from Taiwan.

As of Thursday, nine Chinese passengers have been confirmed to be infected with the virus, namely one from the mainland, seven from Hong Kong and one from Taiwan.