More than 2000 passengers have been stranded on board of a Mumbai Goa bound Cordelia Cruise ship when one of the crew member tested positive for the Covid Infection. The Cruise ship has been asked to return back to Mumbai.
According to the TOI reports, following the discovery of one of the crew members of Goa Mumbai bound Cordelia Cruise ship found to be infected with the Coronavirus, all the 1,994 passengers onboard were underwent the Covid-19 test and 66 of them were found positive on Monday.
The testing of cruise passengers began on Sunday evening after the ship arrived at Mormugao Port situated in Vasco da Gama. The passengers had to undergo the testing since one of the crew members on board found to be Covid positive while ship was on the way to Goa from Mumbai.
The passengers were not allowed to disembark from the ship said the health minister of Goa. “The authorities will decide whether to allow to disembark passengers from the ship. Goa being a tourist state, it is a matter of concern,” said health minister Vishwajit Rane after he declared that 66 had tested positive.
According to the reports, due to the delay in deciding on the fate of the passengers about the quarantine the cruise management decided to leave the port and sail back to Mumbai.
“My family had planned to spend two to three days in Goa, but we have not been allowed to get off the ship even though our tests have been negative. I don’t mind going back to Mumbai, I just want to leave,” said a passenger.
Meanwhile those who tested positive had been moved to the local hospitals in the Vasco da Gama, “Some positive persons have been shifted to the hospital. Other positives who wanted to go to Mumbai were quarantined in the ship itself. The ship will decide when to leave as soon as it is decided who wants to be onboard, and who can disembark,” said the South Goa collector Ruchika Katyal.
Meanwhile, Goa has reported four more Omicron cases and taking a look at the rising cases in the state, the health department has decided to implement the night curfew in the state. The schools will also remain closed till the 26th January, stated the report.
