A New Zealand man working onboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship says a crew member, who later tested positive for Covid-19 stayed on the ship between voyages in early March as passengers disembarked and others got on.
Chris Harris, a trumpeter onboard the ship, says crew had no idea the ship was unhealthy even after a global pandemic had been declared and the cruise liner continued to sail.
The Ruby Princess cluster is now Australia's biggest source of infection with more than 700 cases and 21 deaths.
A Commission of Inquiry is also underway into how 2700 passengers were allowed to disembark on March 19, the day before two passengers and one crew member tested positive.
Harris has been in mandatory isolation for almost six weeks, on the ship, in Sydney and now in Auckland.
He spoke to Nita Blake-Persen on his last day of isolation at Auckland's Crown Plaza hotel ahead of his return home today to Nelson.
