Cruise ship with estimated 800 Covid-infected passengers to dock in Sydney, Australia

The Majestic Princess cruise ship is due to dock in Sydney, Australia, with an estimated 800 passengers on board who tested positive for Covid.

At 6am this Saturday, November 12, the Majestic Princess cruise ship is scheduled to dock in Sydney Harbour, Australia,  According to a spokesperson for the cruise line, an estimated 800 passengers on board have tested positive for Covid.

The infected passengers have been instructed to isolate in their cabins until they disembark added the spokesperson. Most of them are “mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic”, they added. “Guests who have not been impacted are wearing masks, and this will continue when they disembark”.

Following a 12-day cruise to New Zealand, the 3,300 passengers and 1,300 crew will disembark in Sydney. Private transport will be waiting for all the guests, to transport them to their selected destinations, which has been arranged by the company.

There are still strict Covid guidelines in place by New South Wales health authorities. Cruise ships are required to notify NSW Health of any infections on board, along with status updates.

All disembarking passengers will be expected to wear a facemask and maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from anybody who is not in their group of travellers, as reported by smh.com.au.

As a result of the number of infections on board, the Majestic Princess has been classified the highest classification in its tier system, as a ‘high impact’ or ‘tier-three’ vessel. This level indicates that more than 100 out of every 1,000 passengers on board the ship are infected. It can also mean that there is a shortage in staffing or resources, making the vessel unable to maintain critical services.