Numerous airlines leave their passenger jets because of the novel coronavirus no longer fly to China. On board cruise ships in Asia, however, concerns about the lung disease Covid-19, which is particularly widespread in China, are continuing.
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New ships are always quarantined there or they are refused to dock by local authorities.
Like the Rostock shipping company Aida cruises reports that the German cruise ship “Aida Vita” had to change course unexpectedly. The ship was therefore unable to call the Vietnamese port city of Cai Lan in Halong Bay.
“Aida” shipping company: No virus cases on board
The local tourism authority has prohibited passengers and crew from going ashore, said an employee of the authority. A reason was not given, said a spokesman for the shipping company. In addition, the cruise company emphasized that there were no virus cases on board, and that the ship had not called at a Chinese port.
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According to the shipping company, around 1,100 passengers and 400 crew members, mostly from Germany, are on the “Aida Vita”. The next stop should now be the Thai port of Laem Chabang near Bangkok, but the authorities there did not confirm this when asked to do so.
In the Australian state of New South Wales, health authorities have sent medical personnel on board the crusader “Norwegian Jewel” to carry out tests for the new pathogen. One tests for “respiratory diseases”, it said.
Three people were brought ashore for medical reasons after a tour of New Zealand, one of them with an unspecified respiratory disease.
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Almost 60 Germans in Cambodia in ship quarantine
On board the “Westerdam”, which was allowed to moor on Cambodia on Thursday, the situation has eased somewhat: After days of wandering and banning in five other Asian countries, the first of almost 2,300 people were allowed to leave the cruise ship on Friday.
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“Thank you, Cambodia”: Apparently relieved crusader who was allowed to leave the “Westerdam” after waiting for days
TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP
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The US embassy in Phnom Penh tweeted: “The first passengers have left the Westerdam and are on their way home! We look forward to welcoming you when you enter the mainland.”
The ship from Hong Kong had landed in Sihanoukville on Thursday evening. Previously, it had been banned from several Asian ports in Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Guam and the Philippines.
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According to the Holland America Line shipping company, 57 Germans were among the passengers on board the ship. The almost 1,500 guests and around 800 crew members of the “Westerdam” were unable to disembark immediately after landing, but were first examined medically. However, according to the shipping company, 20 suspected cases tested were not confirmed.
The passengers should leave the ship in the next few days and then fly home. At first it was not clear how the Germans would go after their trip home.
Seniors with windowless cabins are allowed to “Diamond Princess”
Also off the coast of Yokohama is a cruise ship, the “Diamond Princess”, whose passengers have not been allowed to go ashore for eleven days. The quarantine on board was supposed to last until February 19, but on Friday elderly passengers with windowless cabins were allowed to continue their quarantine on land.
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Passenger with a face mask on the “Diamond Princess” in front of the Japanese port city of Yokohama
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
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