Cruise Ship with 6,000 Passengers Blocked in Italy because of Two People with Coronavirus Symptoms

The Costa Crociere cruise ship carrying about 6,000 passengers was blocked at the port of Civitavecchia (about 100 km south of Rome) after two patients from Hong Kong showed symptomes of infectious disease. The tourists have been found to have fever and respiratory problems.

The couple boarded the Mediterranean cruise ship a few days ago in Savona. On January 25, they arrived at Milan's Malpensa Airport.

Samples from a Chinese couple were sent for testing after three doctors and a nurse boarded the Costa Crociere ship in the port of Civitavecchia to tend to a woman running a fever, the local health authorities said, AFP reported.

The rest of the ship's passengers are still not allowed to go ashore.