A cruise ship touring Australia’s Top End has become the site of a Covid outbreak, offloading more than a dozen positive passengers in Darwin.
The 93-metre Coral Geographer anchored in Darwin Harbour early on Tuesday with 74 guests and 38 crew on board after a trip through the Kimberley region.
Northern Territory Health confirmed 17 guests and crew had contracted the virus, since the ship embarked from Broome 10 days earlier.
Cruise operator Coral Expeditions said the infected passengers isolated onboard during the voyage as required under NT and Western Australian law.
“NT Health was advised of the detection and management of cases on board throughout the voyage,” a spokesperson said.
“Affected guests and crew were provided care by onboard medical specialists.”
The infected passengers and crew were transported to an undisclosed location, reported to be hotels, in Darwin to complete their isolation periods.
All guests and crew returning negative Covid-19 tests disembarked as normal. Coral Expeditions said all were fully vaccinated.
Coral Expeditions said it had safely operated more than 100 cruises through the pandemic without incident.
The latest cruise ship outbreak, however, comes less than two weeks after another of Coral Expeditions’ ships was also the site of a Covid-19 outbreak when docked in Broome last month.
Western Australian authorities were required to contain an outbreak affecting an undisclosed number of the ship’s 72 passengers and unknown number of crew on the Coral Discoverer.
Coral Expeditions Commercial director Jeff Gillies told the NT News on Tuesday that the company had complied with directions from NT and WA Health.
“In the NT, maritime vessels are permitted to allow positive cases and close contacts to safely disembark and move to suitable accommodation to complete their isolation requirements,” Gillies said.
“This was managed in Darwin by Coral Expeditions who arranged transport and lodgings in a safe manner and in full collaboration with health authorities. All unaffected guests and crew disembarked as normal.”
