Multiple COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Among Russian Ship Crew at Busan Gamcheon Port (Update)

On the 23rd of last month, quarantine officials wearing protective suits were preparing to transfer COVID-19 confirmed crew members to the hospital from the Russian-flagged refrigerated cargo ship A (3,401 tons) docked at Gamcheon Port in Busan. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Seulgi Kim] Russian sailors aboard a vessel that arrived at Busan Port have tested positive for COVID-19 again, following last month.

The Busan National Quarantine Station announced on the 16th that three Russian sailors aboard the Russian-flagged deep-sea fishing vessel R (825t), which docked at Gamcheon Port last month and was later moved to a ship repair yard in Yeongdo, tested positive for COVID-19.

This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among crew members on three vessels to 23, all of whom are Russian nationals.

The R vessel, which departed from Vladivostok, Russia, arrived at Gamcheon Port Pier 4 in Busan around 5 p.m. on the 26th of last month. After unloading 70 tons of cargo around the 3rd, it moved to a ship repair yard in Yeongdo that same night.

The quarantine station stated, "Among the 29 crew members of the R vessel docked at the ship repair yard, seven applied to disembark. During the quarantine process, three tested positive for COVID-19, while the rest tested negative."

The quarantine station plans to collect samples from the remaining 22 of the 28 crew members this morning and conduct COVID-19 diagnostic tests.

Currently, all 29 crew members, including the three confirmed cases, are reported to be quarantined onboard.

The quarantine station also announced that, in consultation with Busan City and others, the three confirmed sailors will be transferred to Busan Medical Center, a hospital dedicated to COVID-19 treatment.

Meanwhile, at Busan Gamcheon Port on the 22nd of last month, 19 Russian sailors aboard the Russian vessels Ice Stream and Ice Crystal tested positive for COVID-19.

Furthermore, on the 14th, one confirmed case was reported among 44 Russian sailors aboard a Tuvalu-flagged vessel, confirming a series of COVID-19 cases among Russian sailors.