7,000 passengers detained on liner in Italy due to false coronavirus alarm

Woman from Macau detected fever when ship paused at Civitavecchia, north-west of Rome

Passengers stuck on Costa Smerelda owing to suspected coronavirus cases. (@Filippo64416163 Twitter photo) Passengers stuck on Costa Smerelda owing to suspected coronavirus cases. (@Filippo64416163 Twitter photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — 7,000 more passengers were confined on a Costa Crociere vessel, Costa Smerelda, at the port of Civitavecchia on Thursday (Jan. 30) when one woman from Macau disembarked with a fever and breathing problems.

The Mediterranean cruise company said the 54-year-old woman from Macau "was placed in solitary confinement in the on-board hospital last night with her travel companion." They were thought to board the vessel on Jan. 25 for its one-week cruise in the western Mediterranean, reported the Sun.

Allegedly, around 1,143 passengers were due to disembark at the port, 35 miles north of Rome, after the captain gave permission, but Civitavecchia Mayor, Ernesto Tedesco, rushed to the harbor and ordered everyone to stay aboard while the couple underwent medical testing.

One Italian passenger who said he was aboard at the time tweeted at midday on Thursday: "We're blocked from leaving the Costa ship without knowing the official reason," reported The Local.

The Italian health authority later announced the Chinese woman only had the flu. The luxury liner will remain docked at Civitavecchia on Friday before leaving to end its cruise as scheduled in Savona, Italy.

Besides this false alarm, the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, confirmed on Thursday the first two coronavirus cases in Italy to be two Chinese tourists. The authorities are trying to reconstruct their travel path in the country.

Conte then announced the shut down of all flights between Italy and China at a press conference. "As far as we know we are the first country in the EU to adopt such a measure," he said.