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Two vessels held in Cape Town after crew member of m/v Corona showed corona symptoms

Two vessels were held in the port of Cape Town off port limits after a crew member onboard one of the vessels began to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. He had been on a flight with a fellow crew member and six passengers who went on to board the cruise ship 'AIDAmira' at the port. The two crew members had flown into the country from Istanbul on March 9. Only one of the two was showing signs of being ill, however both have been placed into isolation onboard the 'Corona' which had left the port of Cape Town on March 11, 2020. On March 13 the master of the vessel contacted the MRCC and the Port Health unit of the National Department of Health, confirming one crew member was exhibiting symptoms and requesting that the vessel returneds to the Port of Cape Town for evacuation. Permission was granted by both authorities. Upon arrival on March 16, the vessel waited off port limits. MRCC, Port Health and the Harbour Master of the Port of Cape Town have coordinated efforts to evacuate both crew members by arranging with the Airforce helicopters for the suspected crew member to be transported to hospital. Six passengers on-board the Italian flagged MV AidAmira passenger vessel had been on the same flight as the crew members of the 'Corona'. According to the master and the doctor onboard the vessel, the six have shown no symptoms of the virus but were in isolation and being monitored continuously. Meanwhile, the 'AIDAmira' has been operating between Port of Cape Town and Walvis Bay and South African east coast. The vessel sailed on March 13 from the port of Walvis Bay with 1240 passengers and a total crew of 486 on board. The ship was on her voyage back to the port of Cape Town, when TNPA was informed by Port Health Cape Town that the six passengers had been on the same flight as the two 'Corona' crew members. The master of the 'AIDAmira' immediately quarantined the six passengers to prevent the spread of the infection to other passengers and crew onboard. The ship arrived outside the port of Cape Town on March 15. A Joint Operation Centre (JOC) was set up on March 16, including TNPA Harbour Master, SAMSA (MRCC), Port Health and a specialist doctor. After careful consideration of the facts by the JOC, the vessel was permitted to dock on March 16. The six passengers have been evacuated and taken to the hospital for testing and thereafterwere taken to a quarantined area arranged by Port Health Officials. The rest of the passengers remained quarantined on board until the test results for the six have been received, thereafter a decision will be made based on the results. So far only one of the two crew members on-board the 'Corona' has shown symptoms of being sick and no passengers or crew of the 'AIDAmira' were exhibiting any symptoms. On March 18 Port Health has granted clearance for both vessels to continue their journeys from the Port of Cape Town. It is expected that the 'AIDAmira' passengers will be allowed to disembark in the port of Cape Town and fly onward to their respective countries.

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