The Costa Smeralda, an Italian cruise, was stalled at the Italian port city of Civitavecchia after two tourists showed signs of deadly coronavirus.
Italian cruise stalled
Around 6000 passengers from the Italian cruise Costa Smeralda are held on lockdown at the port of Civitavecchia. Health inspectors confirmed that two suspected cases of the deadly coronavirus were on board the cruise ship. Only assigned doctors and nurses were allowed to go in and out of the cruise ship to monitor the patients and extract samples.
The Costa Smeralda is an Excellence-class cruise ship under the Costa Crociere (Costa Cruises) Italian cruise line, owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc. The cruise ship is considered the fifth largest in the world, with a maximum capacity of 6554 passengers.
The Costa Smeralda came from Palma de Mallorca before stopping at the port of Civitavecchia. The route is part of a week-long cruise of the Mediterranean.
Suspected coronavirus
The Costa Smeralda was stalled at the port of Civitavecchia, as advised by the medical staff on board, with two passengers suspected of the deadly coronavirus.
The suspected passengers were a couple who flew to Milan from Hong Kong on Saturday to join the cruise. One of them was a 54-year-old woman from Macau, which showed symptoms such as fever was immediately put into isolation overnight in the ship’s hospital ward.
The husband did not show any symptoms but was also tested by the doctors authorized to board the cruise ship. Results are expected to be back later in the afternoon.
In a press statement by the Costa Crociere management;
As soon as the suspected case emerged, medical staff onboard immediately activated the protocol health procedures for cases of this kind.
Coming from Mayor Ernesto Tedesco of the city of Civitavecchia, the situation of the suspected coronavirus at their port is well under close monitoring.
Several passengers inside the cruise ship grew wary about the lockdown, but authorities are doing their best to handle the situation and prevent further panic.
