An evacuation flight for Britons stuck on a cruise ship docked off the coast of Japan over coronavirus fears will leave Tokyo on Friday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

Mr Raab said information has been provided to those registered for the flight, but he urged “other British nationals still seeking to leave to contact us”.

He added: “We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan.”

The update comes as authorities in Tokyo said two elderly Japanese passengers taken off the ship have died from the virus.

Meanwhile, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said on Wednesday that those Britons repatriated from the Diamond Princess will be quarantined at accommodation at Arrowe Park on the Wirral on their return.

There were 78 British passengers on the cruise liner when cases of the coronavirus strain known as Covid-19 started to emerge.

Four British cases have since been confirmed by the Foreign Office.

It is understood only healthy passengers with no symptoms of the virus will have a seat on the plane, with all to spend 14 days at the Wirral.

Anyone who develops symptoms during the flight will be taken to hospital, while it is understood any pre-existing cases will be treated in Japan.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has announced the EU will be financing the repatriation of citizens from any of the EU27 still stuck on the Diamond Princess.

As of 2pm on Wednesday, a total of 5,216 people in the UK had been tested for coronavirus, of whom nine had tested positive.

Reports on Wednesday from mainland China said there have been 2,004 deaths and 74,185 confirmed infections of the virus.

New cases have fallen to less than 2,000 per day for the past two days but officials and analysts have warned that the threat of a more serious outbreak remains as people gradually return to work following a prolonged Lunar New Year holiday.

While the overall spread of the virus has been slowing, the situation remains severe in Hubei province where the virus is thought to have originated.