The liner Costa Favolosa docked a day early in Philipsburg (St Maarten Island, Dutch Antilles) after being denied entry in Tortola Island (Road Town, BVI) amid coronavirus fears. The vessel was held at anchor in Great Bay on Wednesday, February 26, while local authorities carried out safety protocols.
The Costa Cruises-operated vessel was scheduled to visit Tortola BVI on Wednesday the call was denied by British Virgin Islands (BVI) authorities because several persons onboard the ship had recently traveled from Italy, where a total of 11 persons have died from the COVID outbreak that erupted in the European country during the past week.
The Ministry of Health is working with and having continued discussions with cruise lines “to ensure enhanced health and safety screening procedures and practices” before cruise ships make calls to the BVI.
A public statement from the Premier’s Office revealed that roughly half-dozen passengers abroad Costa Favolosa had "questionable medical status". The statement said:
“It was reported that a number of passengers had flown directly from Italy and had joined the ship in Guadeloupe within the last six days. This period is within the 14-day incubation period of COVID-19 (the coronavirus). It was also reported that five passengers had fallen ill with three testings positive for the Influenza A Virus, and are isolated onboard the ship. It was determined that the ship was unable to conduct the test for the presence or absence of COVID-19."
The BVI’s decision to deny the Costa Favolosa ship entry into the country came a day after Jamaica denied another cruise company access to its Ocho Rios port due to a similar coronavirus alert aboard that ship.
For other Costa Favolosa accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.
For Coronavirus updates on cruise ship quarantines (infected passengers and crew) and top-pandemic countries (COVID-19 cases and deaths, daily updated statistics) see at CruiseMapper's Norovirus page.