A PIANIST from a Brighton-based band has been diagnosed with coronavirus. 

Joel Rawlins, 26, was working on the Diamond Princess cruise ship when the virus, now called COVID-19, broke out. 

The musician, who plays for Brighton-band A Night In The Abyss, is currently inside a quarantine at a specialist unit in Sheffield after testing positive.

This comes after two new coronavirus cases were confirmed in West Sussex, bringing the total number in the county to seven.

A spokesman for the deathcore band said: "You can’t say the world isn’t at least getting inventive with ways to delay our next release?

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"Fear not anyway, our keyboardist Joel is fine and is making a swift recovery at a Sheffield hospital."

Mr Rawlins tested positive for the virus at a quarantine facility in the Wirral after getting extradited from the ship which had been stationed in Japan for more than two weeks.

Almost one-fifth of the 3,711 passengers originally on board the cruise liner have been infected. 

Six of those have died, including a British man who is the country's only record death from the disease.  

Speaking from inside the quarantine, Mr Rawlins told the Bucks Free Press that he has received unbelievable support from family, friends and caring staff at the NHS.

The Argus:

Speaking to The Argus's sister title, he said: “Without question, from the bottom of my heart, I'd like to sincerely thank every single one of the hundreds of friends and family both in the UK and around the world for their constant thoughts and prayers throughout this very unique situation.

“I don't want anyone to worry about me, I’m doing absolutely fine and will be out before you know it.”

In his first UK interview from his isolation room, Mr Rawlins relived the moment he returned to the UK.

He said: "We were all taken to the quarantine facility in the Wirral after getting extradited from the ship.

“I spent one night there and then the morning of the second day a doctor came into my room and said 'we are going round everyone doing swab tests but we don't have to do one for you because the test you had just before you left the ship has come back positive'.

The Argus:

“Then they explained the procedure about going forward and I left for hospital shortly after. They were very helpful with the process and letting me know what was happening."

The musician plays in A Night In The Abyss, a Brighton-based "Blackened Tech Death/Deathcore" band which was formed in the city in 2011.

He has thanked the Princess company, who run the ship, where he had been playing keyboard for passengers before the virus broke out.

He said: "During the quarantine period on the Diamond Princess, Princess treated both crew and passengers the best they possibly could, given the situation.

“Since coming to hospital, a lady from head office has called me every day to make sure I'm okay and to see if I have any questions.

“They also sent me a care package full of snacks and a couple of puzzle/sudoku books to keep me going.

“I'm proud to be part of such a thoughtful and helpful company.

“I strongly hope that what has happened over the last month doesn't put anyone off Princess, or cruising in general, we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”