Last Updated on March 13, 2020, 7:26 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Ministry of Transport of The Bahaman Government has released a statement regarding the Braemar cruise ship.
The statement said that the Braemar cruise ship which is carrying five persons who have been tested for the COVID-19 coronavirus and have been found positive for the virus, would not be allowed to dock in The Bahamas.
Additionally, neither the passengers nor the crew of the ship would be allowed to disembark.
The decision has been taken to ensure the protection and safety of the Bahamian people and residents of The Bahamas from the novel coronavirus.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) has been in contact with the owners of the Braemer, constantly. Braemer is a Bahamas-flagged ship.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority has given an assurance to the Braemar that if it arrives in Bahamian waters; The Bahamas will provide all the possible help that it can including the provision of food, water, fuel and other supplies as may be needed by the ship.
The statement added that the Bahamas Maritime Authority continues to observe the well-being of the crew and the passengers with updates after regular intervals.
And that The Bahamas’ prayers and thoughts are with and would continue to be with the people who have contracted the virus and also with those who are at immediate risk of being infected.
The cruise line had posted an update to its website on Thursday, which confirmed that five people on board their vessel have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
On Wednesday, the cruise line had said there is another passenger whose test results were inconclusive.
The cruise line further said that they would continue to follow advice from Public Health England and that there is currently no requirement for guests to stay in their cabins.
However, the cruise line had put other measures in place to stop the spread of the virus. These measures include open seating at mealtimes so that guests can sit on emptier tables.
The guests are also being requested to keep a reasonable distance from the crew each other.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
