Thais from liner found clear of Covid-19

Two Thai passengers on board the luxury cruise ship Westerdam have no sign of the coronavirus, though a 83-year-old American passenger of the luxury cruise ship twice tested positive for Covid-19 by Malaysian health officials.

Two Thai passengers are among the 35 passengers of the luxury cruise who arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Rungrueng Kitphati said all 35 passengers were screened for coronavirus and tested negative and cleared. The passengers arrived yesterday after being screened and cleared by Cambodian health authorities as they head back to their respective countries.

Those aboard the MS Westerdam included the two Thai tourists and 19 Thai crew. The Thai crew members are still on the vessel. However, Malaysia authorities reported that a 83-year-old American woman, also a passenger of the Westerdam, has tested positive twice for the Covid-19 despite the fact she was cleared earlier by Cambodia’s health officials. She travelled to Malaysia on Friday with her 85-year-old husband. She was taken into isolated quarantine.

Her husband was reported to be clear of the virus, but is still under observation. The Westerdam was allowed to dock in the port city of Sihanoukville on Friday after being barred by countries including Japan and Thailand amid fears it harboured the coronavirus.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been sceptical of the severity of the virus, distributed roses and shook hands with the Westerdam’s passengers as they disembarked.

Meanwhile, in Thailand a 45-year-old Thai man with the virus was treated and discharged bringing the total number of cleared patients to 15, with 19 still in hospital.