One vaccinated guest sailing on Viking Sky's current cruise around Iceland has tested positive for COVID-19. Viking's week-long "Iceland's Natural Beauty" cruise departed roundtrip from Reykjavik, Iceland on July 10, and the situation surfaced today while the ship was in Seydisfjordur on a scheduled port call.
One media colleague traveling on the ship told Travel Agent that the captain had informed guests over over the PA system about the situation, said authorities won't permit the ship to remain and that it would be sailing to the next port. While asymptomatic, the guest who tested positive is now isolated aboard the vessel and will remain there through the cruise's end, when he or she will disembark the ship and go into quarantine for the remainder of the required time.
Contact tracing was conducted to discover what other guests this person came into contact with onboard. What's interesting is that Viking has a unique lanyard and "disc" that guests wear. While it doesn't track guests per se, if a situation such as this develops, the line has a techie way to "contact trace" so the line knows if the infected guest was in close proximity to another guest or crew member.
That was done, and all other passengers on the ship—including any in contact with the infected guest—reportedly tested negative.
Viking issued this statement Wednesday: "We can confirm that a guest produced a suspected positive test result. Our comprehensive and advanced protocols worked exactly as they were designed—to detect any possible case so that it can be isolated, and a potential chain of transmission can be stopped immediately.
"The suspected positive test result occurred as part of our frequent and highly sensitive non-invasive saliva PCR testing of all guests and crew. The individual is a fully vaccinated guest who is asymptomatic, and they are now in isolation.
"Our onboard contact tracing system was activated, and there have been no further suspected positive test results."
The ship has now sailed from Seydisfjordur, so stay tuned for any updates.
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