Singapore cruise ship turns back amid COVID scare

A Singapore cruise liner returned to its port after a passenger was suspected to have COVID-19.

That’s according to Singapore’ tourism board on Wednesday, which added the 40-year-old passenger tested positive onboard the Genting-operated cruise ship, despite testing negative prior to the trip, as required in pre-departure.

The ship was a so-called 'cruise to nowhere'.

Meanwhile, the nearly 3,000 guests and crew were asked to stay in their cabins and all on-board leisure activities were suspended.

Passengers were asked to stay in their cabins until test results and contact tracing was complete.

Genting did not immediately comment.

Singapore, which has seen relatively few COVID-19 cases, last year began allowing a limited number of luxury liners to operate, but the global industry has taken a major hit amid the pandemic, with some of the earliest outbreaks found on cruise ships.