Cambodia bans cruise ships, fearing spread of COVID-19

ambodia, which made headlines last month by welcoming a cruise ship shunned by other countries over virus fears, has decided to ban cruise ships from calling at any port amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a notice dated Friday.

The notice, sent out to all cruise ship operators, said that in order to control the spread of the new coronavirus into Cambodia, all such ships are barred from docking until further notice.

Cambodian health authorities earlier this week reported that three British nationals who entered the country on a tourist boat had tested positive for the virus.

The Cambodian government on Feb. 12 allowed the Westerdam cruise ship to dock in the coastal city of Sihanoukville. The vessel had earlier been turned away by five countries including Japan over fears that someone aboard might have the coronavirus.