Cruise passengers shunned over coronavirus to head home after Cambodia reprieve

Passengers on a cruise ship that spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries over fears that someone aboard might have the coronavirus cheered and clapped as the vessel finally arrived at a port in Cambodia on Thursday.

The MS Westerdam, carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, docked in Sihanoukville in the evening after anchoring offshore early in the morning to allow Cambodian officials to board the vessel and collect samples from passengers with any signs of ill health or flu-like symptoms.

Fluid samples from 20 people were sent by helicopter to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, for virus tests, local officials said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Facebook he would travel to Sihanoukville on Friday to personally welcome the passengers.

The ship's captain, Vincent Smit, initially told passengers in a letter that some could leave Cambodia as early as Friday.

But in a later announcement, he said there could be delays because of the "number of organizations and authorities" supporting the operation to disembark, as well as the short notice given to Cambodia requesting permission to dock.

Local officials in Sihanoukville told reporters that chartered planes to take people from the port town to Phnom Penh were not ready yet, and the Westerdam had asked to delay disembarkation until Friday.

Passengers have had regular health checks throughout the journey, said Holland America Line, the ship operator and a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp.

Nobody has fallen ill aboard, but the ship was turned away by Guam, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand over fears that someone on board could have the new flu-like virus.

The disease has killed more than 1,300 people and infected about 60,000 people, with the vast majority of deaths and cases in China.



REUTERS