More than 6,000 people are unable to get off a cruise ship in the Italian port city of Civitavecchia: the ship was blocked out when a suspected case of the deadly coronavirus.
Samples from two people on Board were sent for testing, and three doctors and a nurse boarded the ship Costa Smeralda after a high temperature and complained of a 54 year old woman from Macau.
At night it was isolated in a hospital ward on the ship. Her husband, who had no symptoms were also examined by the doctors at the hospital Spallanzani and quarantined.
«As soon as the suspect case, medical personnel on Board immediately activated the necessary procedures, — reads the statement of the company Costa Crociere. — Our priority is to ensure the health and safety of guests and team.»
According to Italian media reports, the pair flew to Milan from Hong Kong on Saturday before heading on a cruise.
The vessel arrived from Mallorca and stayed in Civitavecchia, the port city near Rome.
Costa Smeralda. Photo: Wikimedia/CC
«The situation with suspected coronavirus in the port is closely monitored,» said Ernesto Tedesco, mayor of Civitavecchia.
The passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told Ansa news:
«We’re a little concerned, of course. No one sits down and never leaves the ship except the doctors. This holiday may end in a nightmare.»
At the same time, the Italian government is prepared to take out about 60 of its citizens home from Wuhan, a Chinese city where the virus broke.
This group is quarantined in a military facility for two weeks.
