Published: 11:37, February 16, 2020 | Updated: 07:51, June 6, 2023
M'sia bars Westerdam passengers, cancels special US flights
By Bloomberg

Cruise passengers luggage gets unloaded from the MS Westerdam cruise ship after being stranded for two weeks, now docked on Feb 14, 2020 in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The ship is completely free from the coronavirus but was turned away from five other Asian ports. (PAULA BRONSTEIN / GETTY IMAGES VIA BLOOMBERG)

Malaysia said it won’t allow any more passengers who had traveled on the Westerdam luxury cruise ship to enter, after an American woman who flew into the country was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The 83-year-old woman and her husband were among 145 cruise passengers who flew from Cambodia on Feb 14 on a Malaysia Airlines flight chartered by the US government. 

READ MORE: Passengers turned away over virus fears disembark in Cambodia

Cambodia allowed the liner to dock in the port city of Sihanoukville Friday after being barred by countries including Japan and Thailand

Malaysia canceled three other US-chartered flights that were supposed to bring more Westerdam passengers into Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Sunday.

Cambodia allowed the liner to dock in the port city of Sihanoukville on Friday after being barred by countries including Japan and Thailand over fears it harbored the coronavirus. More than 2,200 passengers and crew disembarked, as Cambodia carried out health screenings on the passengers and cleared them to go back to their respective countries.

ALSO READ: Cruise passengers shunned over coronavirus to head home

The American woman was found with symptoms when she landed in Kuala Lumpur. She was tested twice and results showed positive for coronavirus both times, Wan Azizah said. Her 85-year-old husband has tested negative.

Malaysia cleared 137 Westerdam passengers to leave the country using other commercial flights, while six Dutch and American citizens are awaiting their test results, the health ministry said.