Nearly 6,000 passengers trapped on cruise ship over coronavirus concern

Passengers unable to leave ship

The Costa Smeralda cruise ship is docked in the Civitavecchia port near Rome, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Italian health authorities are screening passengers aboard after a passenger from Macao came down with flu-like symptoms amid the global scare about a new virus. Passengers are being kept on board pending check to determine the type of virus. (Andrew Medichini, AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

ITALY – Almost 6,000 people are stuck on board a cruise ship off the coast of Italy over concerns a passenger has contracted the deadly coronavirus.

A 54-year-old woman travelling on the Costa Smeralda came down with a fever. Her and her husband, who live in Macao on the south coast of China, have been isolated from the rest of the passengers.

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No passengers are allowed to leave the ship until the woman’s test results are returned.