Cruise ship passenger to disembark in Tahiti amid Covid-19 concern

4:39 pm on 4 August 2020

Passengers of a cruise ship in French Polynesia have been told that they would be allowed to disembark tomorrow after the weekend discovery of a Covid-19 case on board.

The Paul Gauguin

The Paul Gauguin Photo: Wikimedia / Paul Gauguin Cruises

The Paul Gauguin returned to port in Papeete yesterday after a passenger's self-test returned a Covid-19 positive result.

All the 148 travellers and the192 crew are confined to the ship and were tested for Covid-19, with results expected tonight.

Media reports said the infected person is a woman from the United States, who was taken off the ship and placed in isolation.

Since French Polynesia lifted the quarantine requirements last month travellers must self-test on the fourth day after arrival.

Investigations are under way into the outbreak.

The Paul Gauguin was on its way from Bora Bora to Rangiroa when the Covid-19 case was detected.

The ship's operator Ponant is reportedly offering several compensation options to the customers whose cruise was cut short.