news, national

Four people on a cruise ship that visited New Zealand before returning to Sydney have come down with coronavirus, prompting pleas for all 3795 people on board to go into self-isolation for a fortnight. The Princess Cruises-operated Ruby Princess ship returned to Sydney on Thursday with 1148 crew and 2647 passengers on board. Doctors initially tested 13 unwell patients for COVID-19 with two passengers and a crew member found to have the virus. "One of those passengers was not at all well, and was taken off the ship and has been taken to a hospital here in Sydney and is being cared for," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Friday. "That particular passenger, now patient, is not particularly well." Another passenger, a Tasmanian resident, is being assessed at a Sydney hospital while the third passenger was confirmed to have COVID-19 after presenting to hospital after disembarking. A fifth person from the ship who's now in Tasmania is suffering coronavirus-like symptoms. Mr Hazzard said it was possible other people on board now had COVID-19 and everyone needed to self-isolate for 14 days. The passengers were permitted to disembark on Thursday and Mr Hazzard implored all to self-isolate to avoid making others ill. Sixty-three per cent of passengers were Australian, 20 per cent were United States residents and the rest were from a variety of other countries. Ninety-eight of the 1148 crew also disembarked the ship and have left for their home countries, while the rest remain in isolation on the ship off the NSW coast. The minister encouraged the passengers to be vigilant for symptoms of fever and cough. "If they are doing what they've been asked to do then they'll be at home in quarantine for 14 days, and that would present no concerns whatsoever to us in NSW," Mr Hazzard said. "To the community - if you know somebody who came in yesterday from the Ruby Princess, do our community a very big favour and have a chat and make sure that they are given this clear message: Put yourself in a self-isolation." NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said all passengers had been contacted by text and email with authorities now making follow-up phone calls. She said the cruise ship company would take care of the Ruby Princess crew. "They have doctors on board the ship, they have ICU facilities, they have care," Dr Chant said. "With all the passengers off the ship, they have the ability to reallocate all the crew to single rooms with bathrooms." Princess Cruises on Friday said all occupants with flu-like symptoms and their cabin mates had been in isolation on board the ship, minimising contact with other guests or crew. The company said in a statement it had supported NSW Health's response by providing passenger contact details for follow up, taking proactive action to safeguard crew health, and carrying out deep cleaning. Australian Associated Press

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/3395e054-31c8-40f0-a687-6b32b55a77a6.jpg/r0_74_800_526_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg