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SeaDream passengers and crew cleared after positive Covid-19 test

A passenger travelling with the first luxury line to resume sailing following lockdown was diagnosed with Covid-19 on arrival home.

The guest had had been on board the ship SeaDream I owned by SeaDream Yacht Club and travelled home to Denmark from Tromsø in Norway on Sunday.

The passenger, who had no symptoms of the virus during the voyage, received test results on Tuesday and will be tested again on Sunday.

SeaDream suspended the ship’s current sailing and the vessel relocated to Bodø to follow Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s guidelines.

Passengers and crew were placed in quarantine, except for essential crew needed to operate the ship.

The line immediately started contacting the guests who were on board the affected voyage.

The company then confirmed that all passengers and crew on board SeaDream I have tested negative for Covid-19.

All 86 crew members were the first to get tested and all results came back negative. None of the passengers had exhibited any symptoms of Covid-19, according to the line.

“However, in an abundance of caution, local health authorities also tested all guests on board. Testing for guests started at 4pm today [Wednesday] local time,” the line said.

“The results were made available late evening, Oslo time. All guests have tested negative for Covid-19.”

SeaDream executive vice president Andreas Brynestad said: “We would like to thank the National Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health as well as Bodø Municipality, led by Mayor Ida Maria Pinnerød, for their professionalism in this matter.

“Nordland Hospital has done a fantastic job of testing 86 crew members today and delivering all results already early this afternoon.

“They have all shown how Norway can respond so quickly and effectively in situations like this.”

SeaDream said it had followed all national guidelines, and all crew members were quarantined in hotels for ten days before boarding the vessel.

The incident followed an outbreak of coronavirus on board a ship operated by fellow Norwegian line Hurtigruten.

Meanwhile, small ship US line UnCruise Adventures has suspended all future 2020 Alaska departures after a passenger on board the vessel Wilderness Adventurer was tested positive for Covid-19.

The company said: “The guest is showing no symptoms and no other guests or crew are showing outward symptons of any kind.

“All guests have been informed and will quarantine until the State of Alsaka deems it safe for them to return home.”

Seattle-based UnCruise is exempt from the no-sail order imposed on cruise companies by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the order only applies to ships with more than 250 passengers and crew.

Crew and passengers on the Paul Gauguin cruise ship in the Pacific have all tested negative for Covid-19, after one passenger was found to have the virus at the weekend.

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