Uruguay begins evacuating Australia, New Zealand passengers from virus-hit cruise ship

112 passengers from the Greg Mortimer are set to board a medically equipped plane to Melbourne and bring to an end weeks of virus nightmare

The cruise ship had been anchored off the coast of Uruguay since March 27 after the country initially refused to let passengers off

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A suspected coronavirus patient from the Australian cruise ship Greg Mortimer is taken by military personnel to a local hospital in Uruguay earlier this week. Photo: AP

Published: 1:19pm, 11 Apr 2020Updated: 1:18pm, 11 Apr 2020

Uruguay has begun evacuating 112 Australians and New Zealanders from a cruise ship that was anchored off the South American country’s coast since March 27 with more than half its passengers and crew infected with the new coronavirus.

At least six Americans, five British citizens and passengers from other countries, as well 83 crew members, remain aboard the Greg Mortimer, a ship operated by Australia’s Aurora Expeditions, while arrangements for their evacuation are made.

“Our priority remains to disembark everyone as soon as possible and with the utmost security,” Aurora Expeditions said in a statement on Friday.

A sign hanging from a balcony on the Greg Mortimer said “Thank you, Uruguay.” The country had originally refused to let passengers off the cruise ship, after authorities said that 128 of the 217 people on board had tested positive for the new coronavirus. They later sent medical teams to the ship to ensure people’s health and monitored the situation via WhatsApp.

An aerial view of the Greg Mortimer off the port of Montevideo earlier this week. Photo: AFP

Most of the crew and passengers have mild symptoms and are stable, said Karina Rando, director general of Uruguay’s Public Health Ministry.

“We are at a moment in the epidemic that allows us to evacuate. We have intensive care beds, doctors are available and we are not putting the care of our population at risk,” Rando said. “We have the logistical and professional capacity to serve these people.”