The two AIDAaura cruise ship passengers who were suspected to be infected with coronavirus have tested negative, health authorities in Norway confirmed.
The 42,289 GT vessel, with about 1,200 passengers onboard, was cleared to leave Haugesund on March 3 and is currently en route to Tromso, according to the ship’s AIS data provided by MarineTraffic.
“At about 03:00 pm local time (March 3), the responsible health authorities informed about the test results and confirmed that none of the two guests were tested positive for coronavirus,” AIDA Cruises said in an update.
On March 2, 2020, the responsible local authorities in Germany informed about a possible coronavirus infection onboard the 2003-built AIDAaura. They warned that one of the passengers has been in close contact with a coronavirus patient.
“AIDA Cruises thereupon decided along with the affected guest and his accompanying person to have their state of health reviewed by the local Norwegian authorities as a precaution, even though neither of them had been showing any usual symptoms,” the German cruise line explained.
AIDAaura was therefore required to stay overnight at the quay of Risøy in the port of Haugesund.
“Haugesund Municipality greatly appreciates the good cooperation with the Port of Karmsund and the shipping company and is pleased with the outcome of the case,” the municipality said in a separate statement.
World Maritime News Staff