Cruise ships from China barred, MS Westerdam passengers blocked
PETALING JAYA: The government has blocked all passengers of the Westerdam cruise ship from stepping into Malaysia.
This comes after an 83-year-old American woman, a passenger of the vessel, flew into Malaysia and tested positive for Covid-19.
The woman and her husband (who tested negative), are being monitored at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.
They were among 145 passengers who flew into Kuala Lumpur on Friday after the cruise ship received the green light to dock in Cambodia, after being turned away by various countries earlier.
“The remaining passengers on the Westerdam cruise ship, who are still in Cambodia, will not be allowed into Malaysia as the passengers are assumed to have been in close contact with the ‘case’, which has been confirmed positive,” said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at a press conference yesterday.
She said a Holland-American cruise line company had chartered a Malaysia Airlines flight to ferry a group from the cruise ship to Malaysia.
The airline scheduled four flights, from Feb 14 to 16, to accommodate the charter.
But only one – MH8763 – carrying 145 passengers, including the 83-year-old woman and her husband, arrived here.
“All 145 passengers who were onboard that flight were screened, two of them showed symptoms on the thermal scanner and were taken to the Sungai Buloh Hospital for further tests,” she said.
The health ministry has informed Malaysia Airlines about the positive case, “as such, all other passengers on the flight are considered close contacts,” Wan Azizah pointed out.
The airline has cancelled the three remaining chartered flights.
However, it was said that 137 of the 145 passengers who arrived here on MH8763 have boarded flights to other destinations, with six still awaiting connecting flights.
“These six will be tested for Covid-19. If they test negative, they will be allowed to continue their journey. If found positive, they will be warded at the hospital,” said Wan Azizah.