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SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean ‘cruise to nowhere’ from Singapore has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing about 2,000 passengers to be quarantined in their cabins and on the ship Quantum of the Be back to dock on Wednesday.
Singapore has been piloting the tours, which are open only to residents, make no stops and sail in waters close to the city-state.
The global cruise industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with some of the first major outbreaks found on cruise ships. In one case in February off the coast of Japan, passengers were trapped for weeks aboard the Diamond Princess with more than 700 infected guests and crew.
“A guest was feeling unwell and tested positive for COVID-19 … We are asking all guests to stay in their staterooms to prevent the spread of the disease,” the captain of the Quantum of the Seas told passengers above la tannoy in a video shared on social networks.
“We kindly ask all guests with urgent medical or health situations like diabetes, heart disease, etc. to contact guest services,” he said, adding that the ship had returned to Singapore one day before the end. of your planned four-day trip.
Confirming the positive test, Royal Caribbean said in a statement that all guests and crew who had close contact with the infected host subsequently tested negative for the virus.
“Emergency response plans have been activated according to guidelines that include immediate isolation from close contacts, contact tracing and deep cleaning of the ship,” said Annie Chang, director of the cruise segment of the Board of Singapore tourism.
Passengers will be able to disembark and medical support will be provided if necessary, he added.
Royal Caribbean’s ‘cruises to nowhere’ from Singapore began last week, marking the company’s first trip since it halted its global operations in March due to the pandemic.
The cruises are part of Singapore’s plans to revive its tourism industry that has been hit by the new coronavirus, which has infected more than 67.72 million people worldwide and killed 1,548,575.
Singapore, which has had just over 58,000 cases and 29 deaths, has reported fewer than a handful of local infections in recent weeks.
The onboard case is another setback for Singapore after a plan to open a non-quarantine air travel bubble with Hong Kong last month was postponed at the last minute.
Part of the precautions for resuming cruises in Singapore involves conducting pre-departure tests and having guests wear an electronic contact tracing device and social distance at all times.
Close contacts of the infected case will be quarantined or sanitary surveillance, the Straits Times newspaper reported citing a notice from the Health Ministry.
Others will need to monitor their health, while continuing their regular activities, such as going to school or work, and undergo a swab test at the end of a 14-day monitoring period.
(Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Tom Hogue and Michael Perry)
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