The cruise ship Costa Magica has been turned away by several ports in the Caribbean after two people tested positive for COVID-19 aboard the ship. Costa Magica is now anchored near Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe where one seriously ill crew member was medically evacuated today from the ship.

There are about 970 crew members on board now, after passengers have already disembarked in Guadalupe with an emergency shuttle. According to reports by the crew, several crewmembers are already isolated on the ship with flu-like symptoms.

We received the following massage from Costa Magica staff member saying:

“We're stuck in the Caribbean. At first we had 2 people infected (1 passenger and 1 crew), after many days all passengers were allowed to disembark, but staff and crew are still onboard. At the moment most of us are in isolation, 1 person per pax cabin. People with Covid19 symptoms are being isolated in a different deck. Since no island wants us to dock, we're just going around receiving fuel and provisions in St. Maarten. A lot of people have signed off, but there's no way to actually leave the ship. Going back to Europe to be in quarantined was the plan, but since more people are getting sick it's dangerous to do the crossing in this situation. Just today we were granted permission to disembark 1 crew member who was seriously ill by helicopter. It's my understanding that others who are sick are at least stable. Our temperature is being scanned daily, but we are all at risk of being infected at this point. Please send your good wishes.”

Another Costa Magica crew member expressed her concerns saying “Every day when I wake up, I wonder: Will I have a fever today and test positive for COVID-19?

On this ship where we are all in constant contact, where we are still working despite the fact that 2 passengers have already tested positive (now already we have no more), some workers as well, and workers who are insolated due to fever in the daily temperature checks.

Should no be all completely insolated, just with a small group of people providing our food.? At this point, we should have organized everything, right.?

Here, within the four walls that I meet every time my work schedule ends, I look up, and cry, asking God for mercy, for all this human, who r suffering, and pain to end, to get me out of this ship and send me to home (quarantine there).

It is inevitable that at this point many of the staff have not been infected, only that the immune system of some of us is resistant to this virus.

I am terrified of the loneliness that I am living now. !!

And I beg for help to take out the people who are still OKAY, they can be saved from here.”