COVID-19 affected crew on ship will likely be evacuated to WA, minister says

WA’s health minister says sick crew onboard a ship anchored off WA will likely be moved to land.

Two coronavirus-affected people onboard a ship anchored off WA’s northern coast will likely be evacuated to isolate onshore and there may be others, the state’s health minister says.

Roger Cook said only one of the Patricia Oldendorff crew members was symptomatic and the other 19 people onboard would likely need to be tested.

“I think we have to be ready for the fact that there will be others who have contracted the disease,” Mr Cook told reporters on Friday.

“An evacuation is the most likely outcome.

“They’ll isolate in Hedland and possibly in a hotel there.

“We’ll be keeping them in Port Hedland, unless of course there’s a clinical need to evacuate them to Perth.”

Mr Cook said the goal was to leave a skeleton crew onboard.

He also said all the proper processes had been followed.

“Any illness onboard a vessel must be immediately reported to the Department of Health,” he said.

“The ship’s master undertook all the necessary actions.”

WA recorded no new cases of COVID-19 overnight, leaving the state’s tally at 668. There are nine active cases.