The Japanese government gave 2,000 iPhones to passengers stuck on a cruise ship where more than 100 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed AAPL

Get the Full StoryGetty

The Japanese government gave 2,000 iPhones to passengers stuck aboard a Diamond Princess cruise ship where nearly 200 coronavirus cases have been confirmed, according to 9to5Mac and earlier reported by Macotakara.

The phones were reportedly given out so passengers could download an app where they can request medication and talk with doctors.

Without the phones, people may not have been able to download the app if their own devices were registered to app stores via countries outside of Japan.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Japanese government has found a novel way to use technology as it works to combat the coronavirus outbreak, which has spread to its own backyard.

Off the coast of Japan, more than 3,500 passengers and crew members have been quarantined for more than a week aboard a Princess Cruises ship where at least 170 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed.See the rest of the story at Business InsiderNOW WATCH: 62 new emoji and emoji variations were just finalized, including a bubble tea emoji and a transgender flag. Here's how everyday people submit their own emoji.See Also:Apple is checking customers' temperatures at its stores in Beijing because of the coronavirus outbreak'What is the difference between Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium?': Here's what Pandora's paid service tiers offer'Why does Pandora keep pausing?': How to troubleshoot Pandora if it pauses intermittently

Share: