Another 139 of all the 1827 passengers onboard the Mumbai-Goa (India)-based Cordelia Empress cruise ship, which returned from Port Goa (Mormugao), have tested COVID-positive on Wednesday, January 5, according to an official of the BMC-Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The 139 infected are in addition to the 66 passengers who were found to have contracted COVID earlier.
Of those 66, 60 had returned to Port Mumbai (Bombay) while 6 had disembarked in Goa.
The passengers who tested positive but are asymptomatic will be quarantined at home, while the symptomatic will be shifted to institutional quarantine.
At least 2000 tourists were stuck on Cordelia Empress at the beginning of the year after a crew tested COVID-positive. The COVID-positive crew was discovered during routine rapid antigen testing. The authorities asked all the passengers to remain on the liner until their test results are out. Cordelia Cruises was asked to conduct COVID testing on all passengers through the Vasco-based SMRC (Salgaonkar Medical Research Centre) Hospital.
The BMC appointed 2 private laboratories for conducting the tests. The samples were collected in 2 batches. The passengers whose COVID test came out negative will be allowed to go home. However, it will be mandatory for them to stay in home quarantine for 7 days.
For more Cordelia Empress incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.