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| Cruise Passengers Are Held at Italian Port Over Coronavirus Fears | Cruise Passengers Are Held at Italian Port Over Coronavirus Fears |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| ROME — Thousands of passengers aboard an Italian cruise ship were being blocked from disembarking in a port town north of Rome on Thursday over fears that a passenger might have contracted the coronavirus that has sickened more than 7,700 people in mainland China and killed at least 170. | ROME — Thousands of passengers aboard an Italian cruise ship were being blocked from disembarking in a port town north of Rome on Thursday over fears that a passenger might have contracted the coronavirus that has sickened more than 7,700 people in mainland China and killed at least 170. |
| A woman from Hong Kong aboard the ship, the Costa Smeralda, came down with a fever and was experiencing respiratory problems, according to the Italian news agency ANSA, which reported that about 6,000 people were aboard the ship. A statement from the cruise company confirmed that a “sanitary protocol” had been put in place for one passenger. | A woman from Hong Kong aboard the ship, the Costa Smeralda, came down with a fever and was experiencing respiratory problems, according to the Italian news agency ANSA, which reported that about 6,000 people were aboard the ship. A statement from the cruise company confirmed that a “sanitary protocol” had been put in place for one passenger. |
| The precaution comes amid international fears that the outbreak of the coronavirus — first detected in a seafood and poultry market in Wuhan, China, last month — will become a global epidemic. Although most of the thousands who have contracted it are in mainland China, at least 68 cases have been reported outside the country. | |
| The ship docked in the port town, Civitavecchia, on Thursday morning after arriving from the Spanish port of Palma de Majorca. It had been operating a seven-day cruise in the Western Mediterranean, and included stops in Italy, France and Spain. | The ship docked in the port town, Civitavecchia, on Thursday morning after arriving from the Spanish port of Palma de Majorca. It had been operating a seven-day cruise in the Western Mediterranean, and included stops in Italy, France and Spain. |
| The ill passenger on the Costa Smeralda was being held in isolation in a hospital ward aboard the ship, as was her husband, who did not appear to have any symptoms, according to a coast guard official. Both were tested by infectious disease experts from Rome’s Spallanzani Hospital, ANSA reported. | The ill passenger on the Costa Smeralda was being held in isolation in a hospital ward aboard the ship, as was her husband, who did not appear to have any symptoms, according to a coast guard official. Both were tested by infectious disease experts from Rome’s Spallanzani Hospital, ANSA reported. |
| “The guest, a 54-year-old lady of Chinese nationality, is currently put on isolation on the onboard hospital since last night together with her travel mate, in line with health protocols,” the cruise line, Costa Costiera, said in a statement. “As soon as the suspected case was detected, the medical team on board immediately activated all the relevant health procedures to promptly isolate and manage the clinical condition.” | “The guest, a 54-year-old lady of Chinese nationality, is currently put on isolation on the onboard hospital since last night together with her travel mate, in line with health protocols,” the cruise line, Costa Costiera, said in a statement. “As soon as the suspected case was detected, the medical team on board immediately activated all the relevant health procedures to promptly isolate and manage the clinical condition.” |
| The Costa Smeralda can carry as many as 6,522 guests and 1,678 crew members, according to Costa Costiera, but the company did not specify how many were currently on board. | |
| “The Health Authority has been immediately notified and is now on board to conduct all the pertinent measure,” the cruise line said. “It is our utmost priority to ensure the health and safety of passengers and crew.” | “The Health Authority has been immediately notified and is now on board to conduct all the pertinent measure,” the cruise line said. “It is our utmost priority to ensure the health and safety of passengers and crew.” |
| Maria Cartagena, a passenger on the ship, said that the situation on board “was tranquil.” | Maria Cartagena, a passenger on the ship, said that the situation on board “was tranquil.” |
| “They are doing checks on 2 Chinese passengers and for now (logical) they don’t tell us anything else,” she wrote on Twitter. “Kind of stressful.” | “They are doing checks on 2 Chinese passengers and for now (logical) they don’t tell us anything else,” she wrote on Twitter. “Kind of stressful.” |
| Other passengers took to social media to vent concerns and frustrations and share photographs from onboard the ship. | |
| Ernesto Tedesco, the mayor of Civitavecchia, said in a telephone interview that health protocols had been immediately activated and that the situation was being constantly monitored. | Ernesto Tedesco, the mayor of Civitavecchia, said in a telephone interview that health protocols had been immediately activated and that the situation was being constantly monitored. |
| “We’re not worried,” he said, “but we’re controlling things.” |