A cruise ship got cut short when the staff detected a COVID-19 case. A month after the cruise ship incident, it seems the virus is untamable until now.
Two months ago, Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung opened the city-state and attempted to revive its tourism-based economy. The present coronavirus case on 'Quantum of the Sea' is a blow to its attempt to jumpstart the pandemic ravaged Singapore.
Early Wednesday morning, the cruise ship and one of its passengers was suspect to be a positive coronavirus case. It was the third day of a scheduled four-day cruise when it happened. As a result, the cruise was cut short, and everyone was sent packing to avoid contamination, reported MSN.
The cruise ship with a reduced number of guests enjoyed the cruise when an alert of an infected passenger alerted its 1,148 crew-all unnecessary personnel and guests were to be quartered in their rooms.
The second time it had happened after the air travel bubble failed with Hong Kong and halted even before it began. It was a letdown for those who were looking forward to quarantine-free reunions with family and friends.
It sailed back to the Marina Bay Cruise Center; some passengers occupied their balconies to see another cruise ship in a similar predicament. There were contact tracing and testing for passengers.
According to the Singapore Ministry of Health, the suspected 83-year-old male tested positive had several negative tests later on.
Raina MacIntyre, a global biosecurity professor, said that the pandemic in the early months of the contagion, there was the risk of an outbreak. These outbreaks could infect communities as well if the carriers exposed themselves. Now any suspected infection is higher than ever to be transferred.
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Singapore's current pandemic conditions to contend with to jumpstart tourism is not an easy task to do. There have been no cases in Singapore for several weeks, and rules were made to allow cruises to be possible. But fewer passengers and even this recent incident show it is harder to do.
On the Quantum were 2,828 people that tested negative when embarking on December 7, based on a statement by the Singapore Tourism Board. More changes in cruise ships are cleaner surroundings and better air circulation.
Other measures take masks at all times, social distancing, and buffets served by a crew in PPE that did not work at some times. These cruises are traveling when the contagion is still active all over the globe.
Previous incidents on pleasure cruises that stranded passengers for days or months have negatively impacted the industry. A survey done reveals that almost 80% of those surveyed will not go on a pleasure cruise. Another is never thinking of getting on one either, which is terrible for operators.
The experiences of these passengers destroy the image of cruise ship lines, said Jason Ader of SpringOwl. Getting stuck on a ship and staying there forced and involved in an outbreak will stick for a long time.
As reassurance, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said it was a calculated risk on a cruise ship that a covid-19 case might happen. But, measures are in place to combat it, he said.
Related article: Coronavirus Cruise Ship in Japan Deemed a Novel Experiment in Disease Control Under Scrutiny
