Westerdam Crew Tests Negative for Coronavirus

All 747 crew members onboard Holland America’s Westerdam cruise ship have tested negative for coronavirus, now known as COVID-109, according to the Cambodian Ministry of Health.

The news comes a day after the remaining 781 guests onboard also all tested negative for coronavirus, and ends the testing ordered by the Cambodian Ministry of Health earlier this month.

All guests, and 25 of the crew members, are now traveling home. The rest of the crew remain onboard, according to Holland America, to continue their work contracts.

In a statement, Holland America thanked the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia “for all of its hard work and support” and the aid from embassies of other countries, including its flag state of the Netherlands, for their help.

“We would also like to thank the regional authorities from the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for their guidance,” Holland America said in a statement.

Westerdam originally left Hong Kong on Feb. 1 and was subsequently denied from docking in Japan and denied entry by Taiwan, the Philippines, Guam, and Thailand, because of concerns over coronavirus. It was then given the green light by the Cambodia government to dock in Sihanoukville on Feb. 13.

Last weekend, one guest, an 83-year-old woman who was making her way back to the U.S. through Malaysia after guests were released from the ship, was discovered to have “symptoms” during screenings at the airport. After further tests, the woman tested positive for coronavirus while her 85-year-old husband tested negative. The passenger is reportedly in stable condition.

Westerdam will remain in Sihanoukville for a few more days while the ship’s next itinerary is finalized. Its Feb. 29 sailing has already been canceled.