Grand Princess cruise ship bound for Adelaide suffers dual COVID-19 and gastroenteritis outbreaks

SA Health says a cruise ship sailing from Queensland to Adelaide is dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19 and gastroenteritis.

The Grand Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, is expected to arrive in Port Adelaide on Monday.

Grand Princess passenger Maureen Monk said there was a lack of communication on the ship, which she believed created an “unsafe environment” for passengers.

“There was no communication at all and none of the guests really knew what was going on,” she said.

Ms Monk was embarking on a 14-day tour around Australia on the Grand Princess but said some passengers became visibly unwell on the second day of the trip.

“The first two days there was nothing… we sanitized ourselves, but a lot of people didn’t do that,” she said.

Ms. Monk said staff began serving food to guests, including buffets, because of the illness, and staff were stationed near hand-washing stations.

“I feel very sorry for them,” she said.

SA Health has not yet confirmed how many people on the ship, which has a total passenger capacity of 4,000 including crew, have contracted COVID-19 or gastroenteritis.

Ms Monk said she had noticed more passengers being confined to their rooms.

Ms Monk said a case of COVID-19 on the ship was only announced about a week later after the captain announced someone on the ship had gastroenteritis.

“When speaking to other guests, it’s common to hear that the person they’re traveling with is restricted, or has just been released from prison, or is ill,” Ms Monk said.

“If there are two people in a room and one of them is sick, one can leave and one cannot.

“(The rules) don’t make sense to me.”

The ship’s operator, Princess Cruises, did not respond to questions from the ABC.

SA Health said in a statement that cruise ship operators have strict processes in place to manage infectious disease outbreaks.

South Australia sees “significant surge in COVID-19 cases”

South Australia is experiencing an increase in gastrointestinal cases and is in the midst of a coronavirus wave.

“COVID-19 cases are increasing significantly and this is having an impact on the community,” South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas said.

On Friday, SA Health reported a total of 2,493 COVID-19 cases last week, an increase of 793 on the previous reporting period.

SA Health said 33 patients were hospitalized during the reporting period, including three in intensive care.

“When we see a surge in COVID-19 cases and people are not testing themselves, you know there are a lot of cases in the community,” Malinaskas said.

“This has implications for the health system.”