A passenger sailing on the Costa Victoria tested positive for coronavirus after disembarking the cruise ship in Crete. Local officials and media reported that the 63-year-old woman from Argentina disembarked in Crete and was immediately hospitalized in intensive care in Heraklion.

The Greek authorities say that her health deteriorated rapidly and urgent medical evacuation was performed while Costa Victoria was anchored near the Red Tower in Heraklion. The entire operation was set to transport the patient to the hospital, following the briefing by the captain to the port authorities, all protocols were followed as it was considered a suspected case of Covid-19. Very quickly, her condition worsened and she had to be intubated.

There are 1,400 passengers and crew onboard Costa Victoria now after the cruise ship departed from India 14 days ago. The arrival of Costa Victoria in Venice was scheduled for 28 March, but both the municipality officials and the president of the regional council said in the past few days that they were against docking.

Now the ship is en route to the port of Civitavecchia. Many crew members requested to disembark in this port as soon as possible, as the ship's next stops will be Livorno and Naples.