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Dream Cruises’ World Dream cruise ship has been quarantined at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong, China, as three people who had been onboard tested positive for the coronavirus.
The three Chinese passengers were onboard the vessel from 19 to 24 January.
Approximately 4,600 people were on the previous cruise, of which 200 were from Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s health department is currently tracking those passengers.
On 2 February, World Dream started its second trip to Vietnam and China with new passengers.
On 4 February, the cruise ship was denied entry to the port of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The ship continued its journey to Hong Kong on 5 January.
The passengers on board are being tested for the virus and are not permitted to leave the ship until the health checks are completed. The rooms of the passengers who were infected have also been sealed off.
Hong Kong Department of Health’s (DH) Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is testing 1,800 passengers and 1,800 crew. The department is carrying out a health declaration and temperature checking.
A total of 33 crew members have upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, three of which have a fever and been sent to the hospital.
DH’s chief port officer Leung Yiu-hong said it is not known for how long the cruise ship will be quarantined.
This is the second cruise ship to be quarantined. Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess cruise ship was also quarantined at Yokohama, Japan.
Previously, ten people on board tested positive, but the number increased to 20 as tests continue.
The epidemic started in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has so far killed 565 and infected 28,280 people.
Hong Kong has 21 confirmed cases with one death.
