Covid-19: a cluster identified on board a cruise ship that left Marseille

Wilfried Devillers, edited by Gauthier Delomez 9:42 p.m., January 04, 2022

A cruise that is no longer fun at all.

On board the liner MSC Grandiosa, at least 45 passengers have tested positive for Covid-19.

The boat had made a stopover in Marseille on Sunday to embark French travelers, before reaching Italy.

The positive passengers were disembarked Monday in Genoa, before the liner continued its journey to the large port of Rome where it was moored Tuesday evening.

But for travelers, it is forbidden to leave the liner that has become a cluster.

"Normally, we should be able to go out on our own in the city, but we cannot. We are confined on the boat", explains Nicolas, one of the passengers, joined by Europe 1. 

Passengers yet vaccinated and tested

"This means that there was Covid before our boarding. What we criticize (the company) is that it did not warn us that there were cases and that we were locked in a cruise ship for eight days ", breathes the French passenger.

In recent days, several passengers have tested positive for the coronavirus: 45 affirms the MSC company, 150 according to the Italian press.

Once identified, the patients were placed in isolation according to the protocol in place for cruises.

Sick people who have been vaccinated and who have been tested before their stay on board.

While they got off in Genoa where they were picked up, the boat continued on its way, and passengers are prohibited from going out during stopovers.

A respected health protocol, according to MSC

Nicolas, the passenger stranded on the boat, claims that new travelers have boarded in recent days.

Europe 1 tried to contact MSC Cruises, which declined to answer questions.

She sticks to a press release published on Tuesday morning, in which the company claims to have complied with the health protocol in force.