US citizens warned not to travel on cruise ships amid coronavirus outbreak

Confirmed Covid-19 cases tops 500 in the States

Monday 09 March 2020 15:26 GMT

(AP)

US citizens have been told not to travel on cruise ships to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The State Department updated its travel advice on Sunday 8 March, writing in a statement on its website: “US citizens, particularly travellers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship.

“Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment.

“In order to curb the spread of COVID-19, many countries have implemented strict screening procedures that have denied port entry rights to ships and prevented passengers from disembarking.

“In some cases, local authorities have permitted disembarkation but subjected passengers to local quarantine procedures.

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

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1/16Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Gondoliers wait for customers in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

A man wearing a protective mask walks past the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

A gondolier on the Grand Canal as the sun sets in Venice, Italy, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Authorities in Italy decided to re-open schools and museums in some of the areas less hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak in the country which has the most cases outside of Asia, as Italians on Friday yearned for a return to normal life even amid fears that the outbreak could plunge the country's economy into recession.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

A local pulls a trolley as she leaves a street food market in Venice, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. A U.S. government advisory urging Americans to reconsider travel to Italy due to the spread of a new virus is the "final blow" to the nation's tourism industry, the head of Italy's hotel federation said Saturday. Venice, which was nearing recovery in the Carnival season following a tourist lull after record flooding in November, saw bookings drop immediately after regional officials canceled the final two days of celebrations this week, unprecedented in modern times.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Locals wait for a mass at the barely empty San Salvador church in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. A coughing Pope Francis told Italy, pilgrims gathered for the traditional Sunday blessing that he is canceling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. It is the first time in his seven-year papacy that he has missed the spiritual exercises that he initiated early in his pontificate to mark the start of each Lenten season.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Tourists wearing protective masks take photographs in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Tourists wearing protective masks look at their smartphones as they have a break at the St. Mark's square in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

A couple stand at the Rialto bridge during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks as the country's confirmed cases surpassed 1,000.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

Reuters

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

An empty water bus after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy, March 1, 2020.

REUTERS

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Tourists shelter against the rain with umbrellas as they walk in the empty St. Mark's Square during a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

AP

Streets of Venice empty due to Coronavirus fears

Gondolas are parked on a rainy day in Venice, Sunday, March 1, 2020. Italian tourism officials are worrying a new virus could do more damage to their industry than the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

AP

“While the US government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for US citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities.”

The State Department added that the situation was “fluid”, but advised older people and travellers with underlying health issues to avoid non-essential travel, such as long plane trips and cruises.

Passengers with plans to travel by cruise ship are advised to contact their cruise line directly for further information and to monitor the travel.state.gov website.

Confirmed cases of the virus have now topped 500 in the States, with 22 recorded deaths.

The news comes after the Grand Princess cruise ship was barred from docking in California after 21 passengers tested positive for Covid-19.

The liner is expected to dock at the Port of Oakland today, but passengers onboard told the BBC they were going “stir crazy” after being confined to their cabins.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship still has the seventh highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases – 696 – out of all countries and territories.

Seven passengers died after an outbreak swept across the vessel in February 2020.

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