Italian cruise ship with 7000 on board locked down amid coronavirus scare
The 54-year-old woman from Macau arrived with her partner in Italy on January 25 and boarded the ship, the Costa Smeralda, in the port of Savona that same day. She subsequently came down with a fever and flu-like symptoms, and both herself and her partner have been placed in an isolation unit about the ship, which is docked in the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome.
Preliminary tests on the pair suggested they were not carrying the virus, the ministry of health said, but it could take up to 48 hours to receive definitive results.
An initial plan to disembark more than 1000 passengers who had been due to leave the ship on Thursday morning was put on hold after Civitavecchia mayor Ernesto Tedesco protested.
“Are you mad? Who gave you the order to disembark? I’ll take you all to court,” he shouted at officials, after driving to the port in his Fiat 500, according to the Repubblica newspaper.
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CORONAVIRUS
World Health Organisation declares coronavirus a global health emergency
It is only the sixth time WHO has declared an international emergency of this kind. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says coronavirus is a public health emergency of international concern, after a third meeting about the new virus in Geneva.
It will mean a greater focus on a worldwide response and more screening at airports
The decision was announced after a meeting of the international organisation’s emergency committee, an independent panel of 16 experts, amid mounting evidence of the virus spreading to some 18 countries.
The declaration of a global emergency triggers recommendations to all countries aimed at preventing or reducing cross-border spread of disease, while avoiding unnecessary interference with trade and travel.
It covers temporary recommendations for national health authorities worldwide, which include stepping up their monitoring, preparedness and containment measures.
Although the WHO has no legal authority to sanction countries, it could ask governments to provide scientific justification for any travel or trade restrictions that they impose in the event of an international emergency.