A ship with 130 Swiss passengers was temporarily stopped by the emergency services late last night in Hoorn, because corona had been detected on board. One passenger was so sick that he had to be taken to hospital.
Emergency services raised the alarm around 11 a.m. The ship Antonio Bellucci wanted to sail away, while the patient with corona had been taken to hospital in Hoorn by ambulance shortly before. The ambulance service did that in protective suits.
The captain then wanted to set course for Germany. The emergency services temporarily stopped the ship from sailing, because there was a good chance that several passengers were infected.
The Swiss passengers were between 50 and 85 years old. “The question was whether it was wise to set sail, precisely because of the age of the passengers,” explains Safety Region spokesman Mikel Heijdens. “If more medical treatment was required, it would be more convenient to perform on shore than on water.”
A conversation followed between the emergency services, the captain and the shipping company, after which the GGD gave advice. The ship was allowed to continue the route if the personnel and passengers adhered to a few basic rules. “These are the regular guidelines. In the event of complaints, testing is carried out and with a positive test, people go into isolation. No different than in, for example, a flat.”
The ship left the port of Hoorn around a quarter to two.