More than 1800 passengers and crew are being tested for Coronavirus onboard a large cruise ship in Hong Kong today, February 5, after some crew reported fever. MS World Dream docked in Hong Kong after 3 former passengers were found to have had the deadly COVID.
The vessel was denied entry to Port Kaohsiung (Taiwan) on February 4 and is currently being held in quarantine while everyone onboard is tested. Pictures showed a man being moved off the liner and ambulanced by health workers in blue protective suits.
Hong Kong tightened its quarantine measures, saying that "all arrivals from mainland China will face a mandatory 2-week lockdown." Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam resisted pressure to seal the border completely but announced that today's move had been a 'harsh' measure to reduce arrivals.
World Dream's quarantine is the latest coronavirus lockdown onboard a cruise ship after 3711 people were left stranded on Diamond Princess in Japan.
3 people from mainland China who had been onboard World Dream between January 19-24 were found to have had the virus, the health department of Hong Kong said. Most of the remaining cruise passengers are from Hong Kong. Dream Cruises announced the 3 'confirmed' patients had left the vessel in Port Nansha (Guangzhou) on January 24.
For other World Dream accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.