The Ship Has Literally Sailed: Carnival Admits To Coronavirus Case 6 Days After Cruise

Minutes before the CDC sent markets reeling by confirming a couple of additional coronavirus cases in the US, Japan authorities confirmed that they’re quarantining a cruise ship after a Hong Kong man who sailed on it last month tested positive for coronavirus.

The cruise ship is set to dock in Yokohama on Monday, according to Reuters.

The 80-year-old man flew to Japan and boarded the ship, the Diamond Princess run by Carnival Japan Inc, in Yokohama on Jan 20 and disembarked on Jan. 25, NHK public broadcaster said.

He developed a cough the day before embarking but did not develop a fever until Jan. 30, a day before he was confirmed to have the virus in Hong Kong, NHK reported.

It was not immediately clear if any of the unknown number of passengers currently on the ship were aboard at the same time as the infected man, but Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference on Monday that Japanese authorities would quarantine the vessel based on the law.

However, since the infected passenger disembarked nearly a week ago, the ship is undergoing an intensive public health inspection as experts demand that every single person who traveled alongside the infected be quarantined and tested.

The incident is reminiscent of a similar dilemma last week as several suspected cases of the virus led the quarantine of a cruise ship in Italy that was carrying 6,000 passengers.

• CARNIVAL FALLS 1.2% ON CORONAVIRUS COMMENTS
• PRINCESS CRUISES SAYS TEST CONFIRMED VIRUS SIX DAYS POST-CRUISE
• PRINCESS: SHIP IN JAPAN UNDERGOING PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTION
• PRINCESS: FORMER PASSENGER TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
• PRINCESS CRUISES COMMENTS ON DELAY OF SHIP IN JAPAN
• PRINCESS CRUISES SAYS TEST CONFIRMED VIRUS SIX DAYS POST-CRUISE
• PRINCESS CRUISES COMMENTS ON DELAY OF SHIP IN JAPAN

The news hit shares Carnival since the cruise ship was run by Carnival Japan. The company’s shares also took a hit last week thanks top virus-related fears.

Royal Caribbean is set to report earnings on Tuesday, and with it we should get a hint at how cruise lines are mitigating all ‘rona-related risks.