Pacific / Vanuatu

Vanuatu island under lockdown after cruise ship visit

12:36 pm on 23 March 2020

Vanuatu's southern-most island Aneityum is under lockdown after a tourist who visited was tested as positive for covid-19.

Mystery Island, close to Aneityum, Vanuatu's southern-most island Photo: Google maps

The Daily Post reports that a passenger reportedly infected while onboard the cruise ship, Voyager of the Seas, visited the island.

The Island, a popular tourist destination, and the small, adjoining Mystery Island, are now "under temporary lockdown".

Vanuatu's Coronavirus Taskforce said it was working with cruise company South Seas and harbour authorities to check if the Voyager of the Seas was turned away by another country before berthing at Mystery Island.

Meanwhile, Vanuatu citizens and permanent residents living abroad and wanting to return home are advised to get in touch with their respective embassies.

That way, Vanuatu's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Disaster Management Office can try to arrange for their repatriation.

Speaking for the National Taskforce, Russell Tamata said people implicated included seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand, as well as students studying at universities abroad including the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.