'Terrified': Aussie woman fears for mum trapped on board coronavirus cruise
The daughter of a woman with underlying heath problems who is among 131 Australians on board the coronavirus-hit Zaandam cruise ship has said she’s “terrified” after losing contact with her.
Four people have died while more than 100 are displaying influenza-like symptoms on board the vessel carrying 1243 passengers and 586 crew as it remains off the southern coast of Panama.
At least two people on board have coronavirus.
There has been a growing sense of despair on board the the Zaandam after it has been routinely turned away at ports for more than a week as it looks to dock.
Brisbane woman Jodie MacNamara says she’s not spoken to her mother Shirley MacLaren in at least 22 hours after messaging non-stop prior to her sudden silence.
“I’m terrified for mum, she has some pre-existing health conditions and I’m just so worried about her. She is trapped in her room and now I think they have been cut off from communicating,” the 30-year-old told The Daily Telegraph.
The vessel set off on its voyage on February 28, long before the coronavirus pandemic had gripped Australia and other parts of the western world, Ms MacNamara said.
She insisted her mother is “not a risk-taker” and slammed the treatment of those on board.
“I’m angry they’re not being allowed off the ship, these people are humans and they are not being treated that way,” she said.
Ms McNamara shared her last exchange with her mother where she and her sister reassured their mother they would get her off the ship.
“I love you all more than you will ever understand!” Ms Maclaren said.
“We love you more than you will ever understand,” Ms Macnamara replied.
Cruise begins removing healthy passengers
After the vessel was refused entry into the Panama canal in its bid to head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida due to sanitary concerns, one passenger on board says roughly 70 passengers have so far disembarked the vessel in a bid to free some of the healthy people being held on the ship.
Hundreds more are expected to be transferred to a sister ship, Panamanian authorities said.
Authorities said 401 asymptomatic passengers will be transferred from cruise operator Holland America Line's 238-metre MS Zaandam vessel to the Rotterdam, a sister ship.
It is unclear if Ms Maclaren is among them.
Ian Rae, a London-based Scotsman on the Zaandam with his wife said passengers with any signs of symptoms are being asked to remain on board.
"It would seem that the transfer is based on a temperature test and answering no to four questions," including whether passengers have suffered from cough, fatigue or fever in the past 10 days, Mr Rae said.
He and his wife passed the temperature test but answered that they, like many fellow passengers, have suffered from a cough.
"As a result we shall not be transferring to Rotterdam."
There are passengers on board from a host of nations including Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and New Zealand.
With AAP
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