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Cruise passengers scatter, take Cambodia bus tours despite virus fears
PHNOM PENH, Feb 17, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – A scramble intensified Monday to
trace passengers from a US cruise liner allowed to disembark in Cambodia
despite at least one traveller later being diagnosed with the deadly
coronavirus.
There are fears scores of cruise goers have been scattered across the
world without full health checks — as Cambodia on Monday afternoon treated a
few dozen of the passengers to bus tours around the capital Phnom Penh.
Passenger Christina Kerby, whose drole tweets as the Westerdam was bounced
across ports drew widespread attention, admitted she “was surprised” to be
allowed on a tour of the Cambodian capital before being given the complete
all-clear from the virus.
“I have young kids back home (in the US) and wouldn’t want to risk
infecting them or anyone around me if I am carrying the virus,” she told AFP.
The Westerdam was at sea for two weeks during which it was barred from
Japan, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand over fears it could be
carrying the virus, which originated in China and has killed nearly 1,800
people.
On Thursday Cambodia, a staunch ally of Beijing, allowed the ship to dock
at Sihanoukville.
It was met by the kingdom’s bombastic premier, who hugged disembarking
passengers as he swiftly latched on to the Westerdam’s PR potential for a
nation more often in the spotlight for human rights abuses.
His stance won applause from US President Donald Trump.
But three days later one Westerdam passenger, an 83-year-old American, was
stopped on arrival in Malaysia and later diagnosed with the coronavirus.
On Monday Malaysia said over 130 other passengers who also took the flight
with the sick American women left for the US, Europe and Australia and Hong
Kong.
Thailand, a flight hub already used by scores of the Westerdam passengers,
on Monday mulled a ban on transit by cruise goers, as the region played catch
up to the risks posed by the boat.
“Passengers on ship are at risk and travel by airplane will cause risk to
other passengers,” health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Monday.
Cruise operator Holland America is working with national health
authorities “to investigate and follow up with individuals who may have come
in contact with the guest”, chief medical officier Dr Grant Tarling said late
Sunday.
– ‘Harsh reality’ –
Yet health risks appeared secondary to authorities in Cambodia, a poor
country with a threadbare medical system.
On Monday afternoon, passengers waiting for onward flights were gifted the
bus tour of Phnom Penh.
Photos in government-aligned media showed them smiling, giving thumbs ups
and none with a mask on.
“There were tons of media lining the street” Kerby said, adding she “was
not expecting such a showing”.
Another 233 passengers and 747 crew remain on the Westerdam, which is
still docked at Sihanoukville.
Authorities have been allowing them to leave the vessel in groups based on
their flight bookings but those on board told AFP they are now not permitted
to disembark.
A Sihanoukville spokesman said Monday health samples are being collected
from all onboard the Westerdam “in order to be clear”, adding that passengers
will not go off-ship until the tests are completed.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi will meet Southeast Asian counterparts in
late Laos this week to discuss the unprecedented health crisis, which has
battered manufacturing and tourism across the region and led to an array of
travel restrictions.
In China more than 70,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus
while about 780 infections have been reported in other countries.
BSS/AFP/RY/1856 hrs