Coronavirus: passenger feared hospital a bigger risk than Ruby Princess cruise

One of the first Ruby Princess passengers diagnosed with COVID-19 was oblivious to the possible presence of the virus on the ship.

Toby Londero and wife Kerry. Picture: Andrew Pearson

One of the first Ruby Princess passengers to be diagnosed with COVID-19 was so oblivious to the possible presence of the virus on the ship that he resisted being ­admitted to hospital upon arrival in Sydney, concerned that ­patients there might expose him to the deadly illness.

Tony Londero had been sick for several days on the cruise with a fever and heart issues, but did not believe he had COVID-19.

“My lungs were clear at that stage. I never sneezed,” Mr Londero tells The Weekend Australian Magazine in an interview about the now infamous voyage.

“And the doctor said, ‘We’ll do some tests, there’s something going on. Perhaps it’s some sort of flu.’ She didn’t think I had the virus — and I didn’t think I had the virus.”

More than 600 cases and 19 deaths have been linked to the cruise, which is the subject of a NSW homicide investigation and a special commission of inquiry.

On Thursday, the ship was also confirmed as the likely cause of an outbreak of coronavirus in ­northwest Tasmania that has ­infected at least 125 more people and been linked to multiple more deaths.

While many passengers had checked about the suitability of taking the cruise in the weeks ­before a pandemic was declared, they were repeatedly advised by a range of authorities that it was safe for them to travel.

Leaving Sydney on March 8, many remained oblivious to the possibility that the virus might ­be on their ship, even as inter­national travelling restrictions were being tightened throughout their journey, and ultimately led to their itinerary being curtailed.

When he was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital at 3.30am on March 19, just an hour after the ship arrived back in Sydney, Mr Londero was alarmed.

“I was worried that they were going to put me in a ward with people with coronavirus. That scared me because I didn’t believe I had it.”

He was diagnosed with COVID-19 in hospital and has since recovered.

Later that same morning, the ship’s 2647 passengers were ­allowed to make their way home independently. While NSW Health authorities had been on board the ship before its departure, there was no such presence when they returned to Sydney and were hurried off the vessel.

On board, passengers had received written advice from the Australian Border Force to self-isolate for 14 days when they ­returned home. Those with domestic connections were told they could travel to the airport and then self-isolate.

But even those who followed those instructions faced multiple issues when they returned home. “We’ve had some terrible things said about us,” said Robin Russ, who tested positive upon her ­return to Tamworth.

Her daughter was trolled online because of her mother’s decision to take the cruise, and her partner, who also tested positive, received death threats, “like ‘I hope you die’ and ‘if you kill my son …’ blaming us for bringing the virus in to Tamworth,” she said.