NewsWorld

Actions

Hong Kong lifts quarantine on cruise ship

Posted at 8:24 AM, Feb 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-09 08:24:56-05

BEIJING (AP) -- Hong Kong has lifted a quarantine on the World Dream cruise ship after clearing all crew members of the new virus.

The ship has been placed under quarantine since it docked Wednesday after eight mainland Chinese passengers on a voyage last month were diagnosed with the virus.

Port official Leung Yiu-hon says tests on all 1,800 crew members were completed ahead of schedule and were negative.

He said Sunday that the quarantine of the ship, which has more than 1,800 mostly Hong Kong passengers, will end and all those on board will be allowed to leave.

Some passengers who were symptomatic had tested negative, and Leung said there was no need to test all passengers because they had no contact with the eight who were infected.

He said there was "no need for further surveillance or follow-up" of those on board.

There are 26 virus cases in the financial hub, which has sealed almost all its border checkpoints with mainland China and imposed a quarantine on all arrivals from the mainland in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.