Coronavirus: infected Indonesian crew member of Zaandam cruise ship dies in Florida
- The man was hospitalised last week after the Zaandam, which had been stranded at sea for two weeks, was allowed to dock in Florida
- His death raises the ship’s coronavirus-related death toll to four
Craig Mallak, the medical examiner of Broward County, on Thursday confirmed the death of Wiwit Widarto, 50, who had tested positive for Covid-19.
The man died on Wednesday, six days after the Zaandam and a sister ship docked in the Fort Lauderdale port after spending two weeks at sea rejected by South American ports, said a Holland America Line spokesman. He had been taken to a Florida hospital the same day the ship docked.
Four elderly passengers had already died before the cruise ships arrived, and the medical examiner said earlier this week that three of those people tested positive for Covid-19. The fourth person’s death was caused by a viral infection. Mallak said he tested negative for the new virus but had been dead for 12 days before he was examined.
About 1,200 passengers disembarked the Zaandam and sister ship, the Rotterdam, which was sent to replenish the first with supplies and crew members who were falling ill. The cruise company, federal officials, and Florida authorities negotiated for days before allowing disembarkation.
The cruise line says 29 passengers who were kept aboard because they were mildly ill were expected to finally travel home Thursday on charter flights, a week after arriving in Florida.