Virus Fear Casts Shadow Over Cruise Ships Adrift at Sea

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia and Thailand refused to accept Carnival Corp.’s Costa Fortuna cruise ship due to the concern passengers may be infected with the coronavirus, highlighting a risk for more than 220 cruise ships sailing around every continent including Antarctica. In March, the Caribbean is most popular as Americans flock to the crystal blue waters of Mexico; in spring season, the Mediterranean becomes the hot-spot; and during the northern summer, passengers sail to Alaska and Norway. Even at half capacity, those cruises can be ferrying hundreds of thousands of passengers at any given time.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kevin Varley in Singapore at kvarley@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ailing Tan at atan193@bloomberg.net, Reinie Booysen, Matt Turner

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