After cases soared, a cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney, Australia.The wave of infections spread around both passengers and crew members on a cruise ship sailing from New Zealand.
The Majestic Princess cruise ship was halfway through a 12- day voyage when the outbreak happened. Cases increasingly spread which led to mass Covid-19 testing for 3,300 passengers on board. Of these passengers, 800 tested positive alongside a few crew members.
According to CNN, the ship had 4,600 passengers and crew on board in total.
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Cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney:
The uptick in cases has been linked to the rise of infections in Australia.
In a media briefing, Carnival Australia president Marguerite Fitzgerald told reporters that a large number of the cases were detected at least halfway into the voyage, adding that all cases were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.
She also highlighted that all guests who tested positive will have help “with accessing private transport and accommodation to complete their isolation period”. Fitzgerald added that Carnival Australia maintains the most stringent of measures to keep all safe onboard, including requiring 95% of guests over the age of 12 to be vaccinated and testing staff and passengers for Covid before they board.
The incident is reminiscent of the outbreak on the ship Ruby Princess, which belongs to the same operator, earlier in the pandemic. When asked about the comparison, the BBC shares that Fitzgerald responded: “Since then, we as a community have learnt a lot, a lot more about Covid.”
According to reports, the Majestic Princess will soon depart for Melbourne.