36 Hurtigruten crew members and one passenger have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus aboard Roald Amundsen (pictured), currently docked in Tromso. The entire crew was tested after four staff members became sick with non-coronavirus disease symptoms. The four initial patients were isolated, admitted to hospital and tested positive for coronavirus,...
36 Hurtigruten crew members and one passenger have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus aboard Roald Amundsen (pictured), currently docked in Tromso.
The entire crew was tested after four staff members became sick with non-coronavirus disease symptoms.
The four initial patients were isolated, admitted to hospital and tested positive for coronavirus, with an additional 32 crew members testing positive and 122 testing negative.
The passenger to test positive reportedly sailed on the 17 Jul departure.
32 of the 34 confirmed cases are from the Philippines, with overseas crew members required to test negative twice before leaving their home country.
No pax are currently on board, but 154 of the original 158 crew members remain on the ship, all of whom are still asymptomatic.
Potentially impacted passengers travelled on two separate voyages disembarking on 17 and 24 Jul.
There were 209 guests on the first voyage and 178 on the second, all of whom have been asked to self-quarantine.
The outbreak comes just over a month after Hurtigruten became one of the first cruise lines to return to cruising (CW 19 Jun).
Roald Amundsen had been scheduled to set sail to Svalbard again on Fri, but the voyage has been cancelled.
“We are now focusing all available efforts in taking care of our guests and colleagues,” said VP Global Communications Rune Thomas Ege.
“We work closely with the Norwegian national and local health authorities for follow-up, information, further testing, and infection tracking.”
