Cambodian authorities announced on Thursday, February 13, that at least 20 passengers of MS Westerdam who had been ill would have their blood samples tested at Pasteur Institute for possible coronavirus infection.
Pol Maj Gen Chuon Narin, Preah Sihanouk provincial police, said a government working group was aboard the cruise ship to give medical checks to the over 2,200 passengers and crew members before they were allowed to disembark. They would be given visas free of charge.
He added they suspected that 20 of the passengers might be infected with the coronavirus. Their blood samples would be flown to Phnom Penh to expedite matters.
Holland America Line's ship Westerdam was turned away from Guam, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines due to fears over the Covid-19 disease's spread. The ship arrived at the Cambodian deep-sea port Thursday morning.
MS Westerdam was on a 14-day Taiwan & Japan cruise sailing out of Hong Kong. The next cruise, which was due to begin on February 15, has been cancelled.
For other MS Westerdam accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.
For Coronavirus updates on cruise ship quarantines (infected passengers and crew) and top-pandemic countries (COVID-19 cases and deaths, daily updated statistics) see at CruiseMapper's Norovirus page.