Prime Minister Hun Sen defended the permission for the MS Westerdam yacht to dock in Cambodia, after a passenger on board was positive for nCoV.

"Some people say the ship brought the virus to Cambodia, but the Cambodian people have not been infected," Prime Minister Hun Sen said today.

Ms Westerdam, a yacht owned by Carnival Corporation, a US-based entertainment company, docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia on February 13 after two weeks of sailing at sea due to the Japanese, Guam, Philippines and islands respectively. Taiwan and Thailand refused due to concerns about the outbreak of coronary pneumonia (Covid-19).

Cambodia said it had tested 20 of the 1,455 passengers and 802 crew on board and no one had Covid-19. Three days after arriving in Sihanoukville, however, an 83-year-old American woman who left Cambodia for Malaysia was confirmed positive for nCoV. Malaysia yesterday said more than 130 passengers on the same flight with the patient had flown to the US, Europe, Australia and Hong Kong.

At least 236 passengers and 747 crew members remained on board. They are prohibited from leaving until they are tested. Meanwhile, many others stay at hotels in the capital, Phnom Penh.

Holland America, the operator of the ship MS Westerdam, said the test results of 406 passengers who were staying at a hotel were all negative and they could continue the journey home.

According to Hun Sen, about 300 of those passengers will fly to Dubai, while the remaining 100 will fly to Japan. Officials are also arranging another flight for the remaining passengers, but the Cambodian Prime Minister did not give a destination.

The Covid-19 outbreak started in Wuhan, Hubei province, central China since December 2019, and has been reported in 27 countries and territories. Worldwide, 73,331 cases were reported, 1,873 deaths and 12,694 recovery cases. Cambodia recorded a case of nCoV infection as a Chinese tourist but this person recovered.