A coal ship with COVID-positive crew members that had been off the east coast for two weeks has docked in Newcastle.
Key points:
- The MV Spirit of Ho Ping has been off the Newcastle coast for two weeks
- Tests showed all 21 crew members had past COVID-19 infections
- The ship will be cleaned before leaving Newcastle tomorrow
Two weeks ago, NSW Health confirmed that 11 of the 21 Filipino crew members on the MV Spirit of Ho Ping were infected.
It forced them into isolation, ahead of more thorough testing.
The ABC can now reveal all crew members on board had past COVID-19 infections.
Hunter New England Health’s public health controller, David Durrheim, said follow-up swabs and blood tests confirmed the results.
“Half the crew had been immune and the other half have now all been cleared of the infection so the vessel is safe.
“Everyone has been cleared of infection and a clean of the vessel has occurred.”
Dr Durrheim said all seamen were out of isolation and there would be more cleaning on board the ship now that it had docked in Newcastle.
“All of the crew are clear, none of them poses a risk at all and there will be some cleaning of touch surfaces and then they’ll be able to go ahead with their usual business.”
ABC News: John Gunn
)Calls for seafarer vaccination program
The outbreak prompted Newcastle’s Mission to Seafarers to call on Australian health officials to make vaccinating international sailors a priority.
Only one of the Spirit of Ho Ping crew had been fully vaccinated.
Maritime officials in Queensland have trialled a program to vaccinate all foreign crews, following initiatives overseas.
Supplied: Mission to Seafarers
)The mission’s chaplain, Matthew Couch, said it was a positive move.
“It is not unusual to see teams of three of four nurses going on board in somewhere like Seattle and vaccinating seafarers,” he said.
“Maritime Safety in Queensland has started a seafarer vaccination trial and we are really looking forward to seeing what happens there.
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