Infected Antarctic cruise passengers return to Australia

More than 100 Australian and New Zealand passengers of Antarctic cruise ship Greg Mortimer, most of whom infected by coronavirus, arrived in Melbourne early Sunday on a flight from Uruguay.

plane with 112 passengers, including 96 Australians, was boarded immediately after arrival by medical staff in hazmat suits. Thirteen of 16 New Zealanders were transferred to a charter flight home.

operator of Greg Mortimer, Aurora Expeditions, confirmed this week that 128 of 217 passengers have tested positive for coronavirus. Uruguay foreign minister Ernesto Talvi said two Australian passengers remain in intensive care in a Montevideo hospital.

ship was stranded in Uruguay for more than two weeks after leaving Argentina on March 15 for a 16-day return trip to Antarctica.

“Everybody who needs to go to hospital will go to hospital and remaining passengers will go into quarantine in hotels,” said Victoria state Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr. Annaliese van Diemen.

returning New Zealanders will also be quarantined in hotels.

“As a large proportion of passengers on Greg Mortimer have tested positive for COVID-19, all passengers are being treated as though y are COVID-positive as a precautionary measure,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, South Australia state reported death in Adelaide Hospital on Sunday of a 74-year-old man who contracted coronavirus aboard cruise ship Ruby Princess.

More than a dozen Ruby Princess passengers have died from virus and more than 500 people have been infected.

Australia’s national death toll stands at 57.