Apr 22 (Japan Times) - A crew member aboard an Italian cruise ship currently undergoing repairs in southwestern Japan has tested positive for the new coronavirus, while about 20 others are believed to have developed a fever since last week, another member of the crew said Tuesday.
The Philippine crew member provided Kyodo News with details of the situation on board the Costa Atlantica, which is docked in the Koyagi district of Nagasaki, based on information from one of the ship's waiters. There are no passengers on board.
Of the cruise ship's 623 crew, 56 were in close contact with the person who has tested positive. Tests on the 56 have begun, with three testing negative so far, according to the Nagasaki Prefectural Government and the cruise ship operator.
A senior Nagasaki government official said Monday there could be a cluster of coronavirus infections aboard the ship, which arrived in Nagasaki on Jan. 29 and is scheduled to remain until the end of April.
The ship was originally due to undergo repairs in China but Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., a unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., eventually received the repair order due to the virus outbreak.
In Tokyo, health minister Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday he will dispatch ministry officials and specialists from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to the ship.
