The tale of a Nile cruise that spawned an international coronavirus outbreak

The tale of a Nile cruise that spawned an international coronavirus outbreak

Egyptian health workers near the MS Asara, a Nile River cruise vessel, when passengers aboard were tested for the novel coronavirus.. LUXOR, Egypt - By the time Egyptian health authorities learned about the coronavirus case on the Nile cruise ship, the infections had spread around the world.. As long ago as late January, a Taiwanese American passenger on the MS Asara was carrying the novel coronavirus, health officials said.. But the vessel would make at least four more cruises, and at least 12 crew members would turn out to be infected.. Even after Egyptian health authorities were notified March 1 that the Taiwanese American woman had been carrying the virus while on the Asara and may have infected others on the ship, the vessel set sail on March 5 on another cruise while Egyptian health officials awaited the results of tests on the crew.. By then, an American travel agency that books Nile cruises had been told by the CDC that Americans on an earlier cruise of the Asara may have been infected.. Gate 1 was informed that all the crew had tested negative for the virus, Seslow said.. The American passengers on four trips - departing