Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas cruise ship docked at Singapore's Marina Bay Cruise Centre on Dec. 9, 2020.Rosanna Lockwood | CNBCSINGAPORE —
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise ship docked at Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Centre on Dec. 9, 2020.
Rosanna Lockwood | CNBC
SINGAPORE — The Singaporean passenger who examined constructive for Covid-19 onboard a cruise ship has subsequently examined adverse for the illness, based on Singapore’s well being ministry.
The passenger, an 83-year-old man, was aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas which set sail on Dec. 7 for a spherical journey to the city-state with no port of name in between. The ship was compelled to return on Wednesday, a day sooner than scheduled, after the passenger went by a Polymerase Chain Response (PCR) check on the cruise liner which returned constructive for Covid-19.
PCR assessments have been used extensively to detect instances as they’re correct of their analysis, however outcomes take hours to return.
“His authentic pattern has since been re-tested on the Nationwide Public Well being Laboratory (NPHL), and has come again adverse for (Covid-19) an infection. A second contemporary pattern examined by NPHL has additionally come again adverse,” the Ministry of Well being mentioned Wednesday evening, including that one other check can be performed the subsequent day to substantiate his Covid-19 standing.
On Thursday afternoon, the well being ministry mentioned the passenger doesn’t have Covid-19.
“The pattern taken from the person this morning got here again adverse for the virus. This follows two Polymerase Chain Response (PCR) assessments performed yesterday by NPHL, one on a re-test of his authentic pattern, and the opposite on a contemporary pattern taken yesterday, which had additionally come again adverse,” the well being ministry mentioned in its every day preliminary replace of Covid-19 instances within the city-state.
“We now have rescinded the Quarantine Orders of his shut contacts, who had earlier been positioned on quarantine as a precautionary measure whereas investigations have been ongoing,” the well being ministry added in its assertion.
The passenger was taken to the Nationwide Centre for Infectious Ailments at 2:30 p.m. Singapore time on Wednesday, based on the Singapore Tourism Board.
The tourism board added that every one 1,680 passengers and 1,148 crew on board had examined adverse for the virus previous to the ship’s departure. Passengers and crew members who got here into shut contact with the affected person have been remoted, whereas different passengers underwent necessary testing earlier than being allowed to depart the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, the place the ship is docked.
In a separate assertion, Royal Caribbean mentioned its complete crew will bear PCR assessments on Thursday, whereas the ship can be deep cleaned and disinfected.
A 4-night cruise that was scheduled to depart Thursday was canceled, the cruise operator mentioned.
The coronavirus pandemic has hammered the worldwide journey and tourism sectors this 12 months, together with the cruise business.
Singapore’s “cruise to nowhere” program is an try to bolster journey demand in the midst of the pandemic. To take part, cruise liners must acquire a compulsory security certification and can be subjected to an audit earlier than they’re allowed to begin crusing.
Solely two operators, the Royal Caribbean and Genting Cruise Strains, are crusing from Singapore beneath this program.