All Passengers Of Virus-Stricken Costa Luminosa Leave Vessel - Civil Protection

GENOA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2020) All passengers of the Costa Luminosa cruise ship that docked last week in Savona, located in Italy's Liguria region, have been sent home, and only several crew members with no COVID-19 symptoms remain aboard,

Regional Civil Protection Councilor Giacomo Giampedrone said in a statement.

"This morning, 72 hours after the ship's arrival, we concluded safe transportation to their countries or to their homes of all passengers who were on board. As for the crew, over 200 members disembarked today and were transferred to their homes or protected structures outside Liguria. Among them were some who had symptoms or had tested positive for COVID-19," Giampedrone said.

There were 84 confirmed COVID-19 cases aboard when the ship arrived in Savona on Friday, Giampedrone�said.

"Starting from tonight, only part of the crew remains on the ship, they are all asymptomatic and are doing well at the moment," he added.

Around 500 people, mostly from the Philippines, India and Indonesia, will be taken to their countries with charter flights organized by Costa Crociere.

Fourteen Russians were transported from the vessel to Rome, where they were placed in a hotel at the expense of the Costa cruise operator for a quarantine period, the Russian embassy in Rome wrote on its Facebook page.