| NSW Health tightens disembark policy

NSW Health has confirmed that all returning cruise ships from midnight last night will be held in port and passengers unable to disembark until patients reporting respiratory issues are tested for COVID-19 and results returned.

The government agency made the announcement following reports that passengers who disembarked from Ruby Princess in Sydney have so far accounted for 48 COVID-19 cases.

A spokesperson for the cruise line said it was working closely with NSW Health and had provided swabs from affected guests to enable testing procedures on the ship’s arrival to go ahead successfully.

“As the health authority has noted we made guest contact details available to allow quick follow up and provided guests with Australian Government advice for self-isolation,” the cruise line said.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has also highlighted that guests who have disembarked from any returning vessels to Australia have all taken place under direction from the Australian Border Force and State and Federal health authorities.

NSW Health stated it had contacted all passengers on board Ruby Princess to reinforce the important message of self-isolation for 14 days.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has defended the State Government’s handling of returning cruise ships, but also admitted that in retrospect, coronavirus test results should have been waited on before allowing passengers to disembark from Ruby Princess.

“If I had my opportunity to have my two bob’s worth, with the benefit of what we now know…I’d have said yeah, maybe we should hold them on the ship,” he admitted to The Guardian.

Ruby Princess was carrying 2,650 passengers when she departed from Sydney on 08 Mar for New Zealand.