On some ships, passengers say they are free to move about, but they're worried about coronavirus exposure. Elsewhere, strict isolation is the rule.
Mah-jongg games, buffets and deck exercises. Passengers on the World Dream cruise ship quarantined in Hong Kong say they’ve been free to move about the ship but worry about the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
The number of cases has now jumped to eight from three. Authorities have yet to find any cases among passengers currently on board.Hong Kong software engineer Edgar Chan, his sister and their parents were aboard a five-day cruise from Hong Kong to Taiwan when the vessel was denied entry for a second stop in Taiwan after the initial cases were discovered.
Quarantines and denying cruise ships entry to ports are the latest efforts by governments to protect their citizens as the coronavirus continues to spread, with the number of infections rising to more than 31,000 and deaths at 638.Preventing passengers potentially exposed to the respiratory virus from disembarking protects those on shore. But that leaves cruise operators and health authorities to deal with thousands of passengers who may have been exposed to the virus.
“They get very little information from the cruise company or the government,” Wong said. “It’s unacceptable to keep them on the cruise but not carry out isolation. If they’re lucky, they may not have any reported cases. If they are not lucky, it may be very disastrous with everyone in close contact and moving around.”
Chan said he has noticed crew members on the World Dream more frequently disinfecting and cleaning floors and wiping down surfaces in the last couple of days. Still, he’s not taking any chances. He and his family have been mostly sticking to their two rooms, except for meals in the dining hall and an occasional dash to the deck for some fresh air — with masks.
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