Greek authorities say 12 crew members on a TUI Cruises ship carrying more than 1,500 people on a tour of Greek islands, have tested positive for coronavirus and have been isolated on board.
Update: TUI has issued a statement saying further testing has proved there are no cases on Mein Schiff 6, and that Greek authorities confirmed the new testing yesterday afternoon.
A few days ago we became the only news outlet to register skepticism over TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6 being ported in Heraklion, Crete. Now we learn that the Mein Schiff 6, operated by TUI Cruises, tested only part of its crew, and that of the 150 crewmembers tested, 12 were positive but asymptomatic, according to officials.
Greek health authorities said the ship would arrive at Piraeus on Tuesday and a National Public Health Organization team will re-test the 12 positive cases, as well as anyone else deemed necessary by the ship’s crew and doctor.
On Monday, Greece recorded 269 new cases of COVID-19, most of which were found in Athens. Four more people succumbed to the disease according to the reports. This brings the total cases in the country of 10 million to about 17,700, and the overall death toll to 383.
As for TUI’s response to the crew cases, the cruise line says passengers need not worry. There are 666 crew members and 922 passengers aboard the TUI cruise liner.
I guess the important thing to remember is that Greece was picked as the first Mediterranean country in which TUI Cruises started its sailing program this year and is the number one destination for TUI customers to date in 2020.
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