Coronavirus: Son of Briton on cruise ship says dad 'giving up hope' | ITV News

The son of quarantined cruise ship Briton David Abel said his dad has "given up hope". Stephen Abel has been talking daily to father David and mother Sally on board the Diamond Princess and told ITV News he has seen a "huge change" since the pair tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday. He has also said he fears he is beginning to see signs of dementia in his father. He said: "My dad has kind of given up hope. Listening to him is very, very upsetting because he's a very, very positive guy and so I've seen a huge change in him. "But then my mum's turning around a little bit and she's coming up with some added strength." Visibly upset, Stephen said his father's other health issues are making matters worse for them as they prepare for a six-hour coach trip to a facility in Japan on Thursday. "He said things today, which make me know that he doesn't think he's coming back because he has his health issues, his diabetes, he's got a tooth infection, he's not eating," he said. "I was actually watching him heave today he had to give the phone to my mum." • Subscribe to ITV News on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2lOHmNj • Get breaking news and more stories at http://www.itv.com/news Follow ITV News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itvnews/ Follow ITV News on Twitter: https://twitter.com/itvnews Follow ITV News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itvnews/