Thailand Refuses Entry of Holland America Line’s Luxury Cruise Amid Fears of Coronavirus Outbreak, Becomes 4th Country to Turn Away the Ship

The Holland-US 'MS Westerdam' cruise ship will not be allowed to dock at Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province, Thailand over fears of the new coronavirus spreading. The ship full of passengers has already been turned away by three countries. Thailand Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul turned away the ship although no case of coronavirus has been confirmed. While the company's website stated that Thailand would allow the ship to dock at Laem Chabang Port on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul took to Facebook page past midnight on Tuesday saying that he had issued orders to not let the ship to dock in Thailand. Coronavirus Outbreak: Thousands From Cruise Ship in Hong Kong Freed After Virus Tests.

According to data from the Marine Traffic ship tracking website, the Netherlands-flagged ship was sailing in a westerly direction, 96km off the southern coast of Vietnam on Tuesday morning. Earlier, the Japanese government had stopped the ship from docking at Yokohama Port fearing the spread of Coronavirus, hence the cruise company turned to Thailand for help. Reportedly, some 2,000 passengers would have disembarked in Chonburi and taken to Don Mueang International Airport to board plans to their home countries. Coronavirus: China Witnesses ‘Deadliest Day’ as Novel Virus Pneumonia Kills 97 in 24 Hours, Death Toll Officially Surpasses SARS Casualties.

MS Westerdam is registered under Holland America Line with head office in Seattle, the United States. It left Singapore on January 16 for a month-long tour of Asia and picked 600 passengers from Hong Kong on February 1. However, it was denied docking by the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan, fearing infected people. The Coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month. It has altered normal lives in many parts of China with trade and business being disrupted. Other than which flights were suspended and entry restrictions have been imposed by the government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2020 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).