Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas has returned to port in Singapore, after an 83-year-old Singaporean tested positive for Covid-19 while on board the cruise ship.
The vessel, with 1,680 guests and 1,148 crew on board, arrived in Singapore at 08.00 on Wednesday (December 9), after turning back on day three of a four-day cruise to nowhere, reported The Straits Times.
Quantum of the Seas parked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore
The cruise line had last week resumed three- and four-night Ocean Getaways, as part of a pilot programme featuring enhanced safety protocols.
Annie Chang, director of cruise at the Singapore Tourism Board, said in a statement that the passenger had taken a mandatory Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test prior to boarding the cruise ship, and had tested negative.
He had reported to the onboard medical centre with diarrhoea, and underwent a mandatory PCR test as part of onboard protocols, said Chang. The passenger was immediately isolated and his initial close contacts were identified and isolated as well. Those close contacts have since tested negative for the coronavirus.
Passengers on board the ship who did not have close contact with the patient will be allowed to leave the ship, after further contact tracing has been carried out.
Chang also said emergency response plans had been activated according to guidelines, including immediate isolation of close contacts, contact tracing and deep-cleaning of the ship. All onboard leisure activities were also ceased immediately and all passengers were asked to stay in their cabins.
She added that all passengers had undergone a mandatory Covid-19 test prior to boarding, and stringent hygiene and safety measures were implemented throughout their journey.
In a health advisory issued to cruise passengers, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the Covid-19 case’s contacts will be placed on quarantine or health surveillance. The other cruise passengers will be required to monitor their health for 14 days from the date of disembarkation and undergo a swab test at the end of the monitoring period, with the cost of those tests to be borne by the MOH. During that period, they are allowed to continue with their usual activities, including going to work or school.
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas has returned to port in Singapore, after an 83-year-old Singaporean tested positive for Covid-19 while on board the cruise ship.
The vessel, with 1,680 guests and 1,148 crew on board, arrived in Singapore at 08.00 on Wednesday (December 9), after turning back on day three of a four-day cruise to nowhere, reported The Straits Times.
The cruise line had last week resumed three- and four-night Ocean Getaways, as part of a pilot programme featuring enhanced safety protocols.
Annie Chang, director of cruise at the Singapore Tourism Board, said in a statement that the passenger had taken a mandatory Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test prior to boarding the cruise ship, and had tested negative.
He had reported to the onboard medical centre with diarrhoea, and underwent a mandatory PCR test as part of onboard protocols, said Chang. The passenger was immediately isolated and his initial close contacts were identified and isolated as well. Those close contacts have since tested negative for the coronavirus.
Passengers on board the ship who did not have close contact with the patient will be allowed to leave the ship, after further contact tracing has been carried out.
Chang also said emergency response plans had been activated according to guidelines, including immediate isolation of close contacts, contact tracing and deep-cleaning of the ship. All onboard leisure activities were also ceased immediately and all passengers were asked to stay in their cabins.
She added that all passengers had undergone a mandatory Covid-19 test prior to boarding, and stringent hygiene and safety measures were implemented throughout their journey.
In a health advisory issued to cruise passengers, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the Covid-19 case’s contacts will be placed on quarantine or health surveillance. The other cruise passengers will be required to monitor their health for 14 days from the date of disembarkation and undergo a swab test at the end of the monitoring period, with the cost of those tests to be borne by the MOH. During that period, they are allowed to continue with their usual activities, including going to work or school.