An MSC Cruises' ship on which a man in his 70s died at the Isle of Portland (Weymouth, Dorset England) last week was expected to dock in Southampton today amid COVID outbreak rumours.
MSC Virtuosa was scheduled to dock at Southampton Docks at 6 am (London time), but concerns were raised following reports of a COVID outbreak onboard.
Suspected COVID cases were identified on the liner which was on September 7 docked in Liverpool.
A former 81-year-old Navy veteran who went on a 7-day cruise on Virtuosa died with the virus days after ending the voyage. Wilf Broyden lost his battle with COVID last Sunday, and his family believed he could have caught the illness while on the cruise around the British Isles.
Another death was reported onboard the ship, but it is not confirmed if it is connected to the virus. The man, in his 70s, was on MSC Virtuosa which moored at Portland on September 4. His death is not being treated as suspicious.
MSC said they had seen an "uptick" of COVID cases both at embarkation and during the voyage, but refused to comment on whether there was an outbreak.
For other MSC Virtuosa accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.