All 158 crew members on Hurtigruten’s expedition ship MS Roald Amundsen have now been tested for possible Coronavirus infection. 33 have tested positive for COVID-19, while 120 are confirmed as negative. The ship is currently docked in Tromsø, Norway with no guests on board.
Four crew members were confirmed positive Friday. Extensive testing of the entire crew has concluded that additional 29 crew members are confirmed as COVID-19 positive. 120 of the crew have tested negative, while five will be retested before their final test results are verified.
None of the 154 crew members still on board the ship – including the 29 new confirmed positive tests Saturday – has shown any signs of disease or symptoms of COVID-19.
“We are now focusing all available efforts in taking care of our guests and colleagues. We work closely with the Norwegian national and local health authorities for follow-up, information, further testing, and infection tracking,” said Hurtigruten VP Global Communications Rune Thomas Ege.
The initial four crew members that were infected were isolated several days ago because of other disease symptoms, showing no symptoms of COVID-19. They were routinely tested before being admitted to hospital in Tromsø, Norway Friday morning.
Hurtigruten is in contact with all guests that were on board MS Roald Amundsen’s July 17 and 24 departures.
209 guests from the first voyage and 178 guests from the July 24 departure will self-quarantine in line with Norwegian health authority regulations. Hurtigruten also assists guests with transport, accommodation, food and other needs.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew is Hurtigruten’s number one priority. All crew members are closely monitored and screened daily. Non-Norwegian crew members are quarantined before boarding the ship, and non-European crew need to undergo two negative Covid-19 tests before even leaving their home country,” Ege says.
MS Roald Amundsen was scheduled to sail to Svalbard on Friday afternoon. That voyage is now cancelled. The next cruise with the ship is not planned until September.