Scramble to track Cambodia cruise liner passengers after coronavirus case reported
17 February, 2020
Holland America Line said it really is dealing with governments and health authorities to track passengers who disembarked from its Westerdam cruise liner docked in Cambodia after an American woman tested positive for coronavirus in Malaysia.
The cruise line, which is owned by cruise giant Carnival Corp , said none of the other 1,454 passengers and 802 crew have reported any symptoms.
"Guests who've already returned home will be contacted by their local health department and be provided more info," a statement from the business said.
Six passengers tested negative for COVID-19, according to laboratory results received from the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 17.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the six passengers - four citizens of the United States and two from the Netherlands - are now at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, waiting to board their respective flights, and so are in good health.
"The embassies have already been informed of the test results and the passengers will be permitted to board their flights so that you can continue their journey with their respective destinations," said Dr Noor Hisham in a statement.
By Monday, Malaysia has 22 confirmed COVID-19 cases, out of whom eight have recovered completely.
Passengers of the Westerdam have been cleared to travel by Cambodian authorities after health checks when the cruise ship docked on Thursday. It had spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines and Thailand.
But on Saturday, Malaysia said an American woman who found its way to Kuala Lumpur on Friday on a chartered flight had tested positive for the new coronavirus which has killed a lot more than 1,700 people, the vast majority in China.
The girl husband tested negative for the coronavirus.
About 137 of the 145 passengers on the chartered flight had already left for other countries by Sunday after showing no signs of illness, Malaysian authorities said.
Dozens more of the Westerdam passengers had flown through Thailand and onward abroad, Thai officials said.
At least 236 passengers and 747 crew remain aboard the vessel off the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville, Holland America said. Others were in hotels in Phnom Penh, the capital.
Holland America said it really is dealing with health officials in Malaysia and Cambodia and professionals in america Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
"These experts will work with the correct national health authorities to research and follow-up with people who may have come in touch with the guest," said Dr. Grant Tarling, Chief Medical Officer for Holland America Line.
Several hundred other passengers who left the ship are still in Cambodia, according to passenger Holley Rauen, a public health nurse and midwife from Fort Myers, Florida.
"I really believe there's 300 Americans here at this hotel plus a few hundred from other countries. We will all be tested for the coronavirus today and tomorrow by the Cambodian Ministry of Health," Rauen told Reuters on Sunday.
"We've no idea when we get to go back home but Holland America is working on all of our flight reservations. We have ambassadors from the US Embassy within Phnom Penh along with from Australia and other countries to greatly help people figure out how to proceed," she said.
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