More than 220 British nationals are being split between two cruise ships off Panama after four passengers on one of the vessels died amid coronavirus fears.
Hundreds of guests on the MS Zaandam – where the deaths occurred and where two passengers have tested positive for the illness – are being transferred to its sister ship, the MS Rotterdam, if they do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.
The rest will have to stay aboard the infected ship, where at least 130 people are displaying flu-like symptoms.
The other nationalities of those on board include Americans, Canadians and Australians as well as Germans, Italians, French, Spanish and New Zealanders.
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Cheryl and Da Deeks are among more than 220 passengers from the UK on board the MS Zaandam
The Panamanian authorities finally on Friday night gave the Zaandam operated by Holland America Line, permission to travel through the Panama Canal towards its desired destination of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Rotterdam is expected to head to San Diego, maritime affairs minister Noriel Arauz told the AFP news agency.
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Four passengers have died on the MS Zaandam
Still, it remains an anxious time for the more than 1,200 passengers and nearly 600 crew who had been travelling on the Zaandam when the virus struck.
Cheryl and Da Deeks, from the village of Mendlesham in Suffolk, were expecting to be transferred to the Rotterdam having spent the past six days cooped up in their cabin on the Zaandam like everybody else on board.
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Panamanian authorities have finally given the Zaandam permission to travel through the Panama Canal
“I have been walking up and down the cabin from the bed to the door and back again,” Mrs Deeks, 66, told Sky News in a message.
“That’s 24 steps. I am trying to do 10,000 steps a day but it’s all becoming a bit boring now. We’re trying to lift each other when we’re fed up. Fortunately we are not fed up at the same time,” she said.
Her sister Wendy, who was also on the 781-foot Zaandam, was among the first to be moved over to the Rotterdam because she is over 70 and deemed more at risk of complications from the virus.
“I am a bit concerned we are going to be split up, but we are well and that’s good news,” Mrs Deeks said.
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Another British couple – 65-year-old Karen and Graham Lucas, 67, from Warrington – were also on the infected ship and have been transferred to the other one.
“It was a bit of a shock when we were first informed there was illness on board and we needed to be confined to our cabins,” Mr Lucas, said, describing the past week.
“We were kept informed over the few days afterwards that the numbers [of infected] were going up, then on Thursday night the captain told us about the four deaths on board. It really hit home. Our thoughts are with the families of those concerned,” he said.
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Passengers on the Zaandam have been confined to their cabins since Sunday
“My wife and I are currently healthy, following guidelines to ensure we stay that way,” Mr Lucas added. “We are a bit disconcerted that we aren’t allowed to dock, which would give the medical staff here extra resources and people to treat those with the illness.”
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Canadian passengers Chris and Anna Joiner have also pleaded for help
He said that the couple keep themselves entertained in isolation by doing crosswords and quizzes, including those sent over by family back in the UK, and watching films.
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Yadira Garza and Joel Gonzalez are on their honeymoon on the Zaandam
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Canadian passenger Anna Joiner in her cabin
Holland America Line said on Friday that four “older guests” had died on the Zaandam. The age and nationalities of those who died have not yet been released.
On Friday night, coronavirus testing kits were brought onto the ship from the Rotterdam.
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The cruise company is owned by Carnival Corp, whose Princess Cruises recently suspended voyages for two months after two of its quarantined ships became hotbeds for coronavirus infections.
A UK Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are doing all we can to help British people on board the Zaandam cruise ship.
“Our staff are in close contact with the cruise operator and the authorities in the region to ensure British people can get home safely.”
