Majestic Princess cruise with 800 COVID-19 patients set to dock in Sydney
Hundreds of people with COVID-19 will disembark from a cruise ship in Sydney this morning.
There are an estimated 800 COVID-19 patients among the 3300 guests and 1300 crew on board the Majestic Princess, which ends its journey in Sydney about 6am.
NSW Health last night said the cruise company would be responsible for “assisting passengers with COVID-19 to make safe onward travel arrangements”.
Princess Cruises senior vice president Stuart Allison said the company was helping anyone who has tested positive whilst on the ship to access “private transport and accommodation to continue isolation when they disembark”.
“All positive cases will be separated from non-impacted guests when departing the ship,” Allison said in a statement.
“We also have a range of strict and robust measures in place to ensure our guests and crew are safe, as well as ensuring we limit the exposure of current cases in the community.”
All passengers will have undertaken a rapid antigen test in the 24 hours before disembarking and all will be masked “regardless of COVID status”.
Passengers with COVID-19 will disembark separately from other guests and “our onboard medical team will continue to support guests until they disembark”, Allison said.
“We understand this current wave of COVID-19 is concerning to many in the community and we take our responsibility in keeping everyone safe very seriously.”
Passengers who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolating in their rooms. All other passengers “are wearing masks” and it’s understood crew members have been advised to wear full PPE.
Earlier, the cruise company said those who had tested positive on the ship “are mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic and are isolating in their staterooms”.
“We have been proactively preparing for and managing incidences of COVID-19 and continue to work closely with NSW Health including adhering to their guidelines.”
NSW Health it had ranked the Majestic Princess as a tier three risk level, indicating a high rate of transmission.
There was no suggestion of any potential plan to prevent unwell passengers from disembarking.
NSW Health did not confirm the exact number of passengers who have tested positive to COVID-19.
“NSW Health is liaising with the Majestic Princess cruise ship to monitor the health of its passengers and crew members,” the health department said.
“Carnival has advised NSW Health that passengers disembarking from the ship have undertaken a rapid antigen test in the 24 hours leading up to disembarkation.
“Carnival has advised NSW Health that they are assisting passengers with COVID-19 to make safe onward travel arrangements.”
