Norway: Approximately 1,200 passengers on the German Aida Aura yacht were banned from leaving the ship by Haugesund town authorities because two people were suspected of being infected with nCoV.

"We were informed by the ship operator that two passengers could be infected with nCoV and they want to be tested," said Teis Qvale, an infectious disease physician in the town of Haugesund, southern Norway, where the yacht was. Aida Aura is moored, today said.

The two passengers were German citizens, one week before having contacted another German who was positive for nCoV. They were taken ashore for testing, then returned to the ship and quarantined in the cabin.

The samples were sent to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway's second largest city, 110 km south of Haugesund, for analysis and the results are expected to be returned by 3 March (local time). ).

Dr. Qvale said that even after landing, the risk of the two passengers infecting the locals was "extremely small", adding that they did not have any symptoms. After checking the entire yacht, the doctor also said that no passenger had symptoms of nCoV infection.

The Aida Aura, operated by the German cruise company Aida Cruises, was originally scheduled to leave the Haugesund port at 17:00 pm on March 2. Aida Cruises is required to maintain the position of the vessel until the test results of two passengers are available.

The number of nCoV infections in Europe has recently increased dramatically, with the largest outbreak being Italy having recorded more than 2,000 cases and more than 50 deaths. Germany also saw nearly 190 positive cases for nCoV, while the number of patients in Norway was over 30. There have been no deaths from nCoV in these two countries.