Virus cases grow on cargo ship which came from the Philippines, moored off Western Australia

Virus cases grow on cargo ship moored off Western Australia
Sarah Swain Sep 26, 2020 https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-wa-cargo-ship-patricia-old...

Seven new cases of coronavirus have been reported on a bulk-carrier off Port Hedland in Western Australia, the day after a dozen crew members were moved into quarantine in the state.

WA Health minister Roger Cook said seven of the remaining nine crew on the Patricia Oldendorff have the virus.
It means almost half the crew are now infected.

The ship, which came from the Philippines, is nine nautical miles off the Pilbara coast.

Mr Cook warned there is a risk of new outbreak in the state if its not contained, with more cases expected to come from the ship
"If it gets out into the community it will create a disaster, worse than what we've seen in Melbourne ," he said.

A trained private security firm hired to keep watch of the ship, are also under a 14 day isolation.
Vessel operators now working with WA authorities on a possible replacement crew.

The ship is now unable to dock at Australia's busiest iron ore shipping ports.