Saturday. 20.04.2024

Thirty-three members of the crew of a passenger cruise ship belonging to Norway's Hurtigruten line have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the company said on Saturday.

The number of cases was up from four the previous day, with 120 further crew members testing negative for the disease, Hurtigruten said. Another five crew members will have to be re-tested.

None of the 158 crew members of the ship, including those who had tested positive for the disease, were showing any symptoms.

They remain in quarantine on board Roald Amundsen ship, which is anchored at a quay in Tromso, Norway.

All of the ship's passengers have now disembarked. Reportedly, 380 people had been on board in the past three weeks.

Passengers to enter quarantine

All the ship's recent passengers will be required to enter quarantine for ten days, Tromso's senior medic, Kathrine Kristoffersen, said at a press conference on Friday.

The vessel was due to head to Spitzbergen on Friday afternoon but the onward journey was cancelled after the first four infections were confirmed among the crew.

Thirty-three people infected on virus-hit Norwegian cruise ship