Hamburg, May 2, 2020. Despite extensive preventive measures and the entire crew being in isolation for over four weeks, a crew member of Mein Schiff 3 was on Thursday, April 30.4th. Tested positive for COVID-19.
In order to rule out an infection, tests were immediately ordered by the health department and port medical service of the district of Cuxhaven. The results are now available: Fortunately, all tests of the 229 tested crew members are negative. Accordingly, there has been no further confirmed case of COVID-19 on board the Mein Schiff 3. All crew members who either had direct and personal contact with the crew member (contact group 1) or performed an activity in which they generally had a lot of contact with other crew members were tested.
Mein Schiff 3
The affected crew member has meanwhile been disembarked and is in the isolation ward of the Helios Klinik Cuxhaven. The crew member is well and continues to have only mild symptoms.
The welfare and health of the crew is responsible for TUI Cruises top priority. In order to rule out further infection, TUI Cruises has therefore agreed with the authorities to test the entire remaining crew (currently on board: 2.899 crew). The tests will be carried out on Sunday, until then the Mein Schiff 3 will remain in Cuxhaven. For technical reasons, the ship will then leave Cuxhaven for the German Bight. The results of the tests are expected on Monday evening at the earliest.
The aim is still to enable the planned and long-awaited return trip to their home countries in the next few weeks. Due to the travel restrictions, ports around the world were closed and crew exits were explicitly denied. Thus, despite intensive efforts by TUI Cruises, this has not yet been possible.
