ANOTHER Coronavirus cruise ship docks: Vessel with 40 people from China that was turned away from Japan arrives in Taiwan

• SuperStar Aquarius had been on four-day round-trip from Keelung, near Taipei
• Turned away from Naha, Okinawa, by Japanese authorities over health concerns
• More than 40 of the 1,738 passengers have visited China in the past 30 days

Health officials have boarded a cruise ship in Taiwan to test holidaymakers for coronavirus. 

The SuperStar Aquarius had been on a four-day round-trip from Keelung, near Taipei, with more than 1,730 passengers on board.

But it has been forced to turn back after being refused access to Naha, Okinawa, by Japanese authorities over coronavirus concerns.

The SuperStar Aquarius had been on a four-day round-trip from Keelung, near Taipei, with more than 1,730 passengers on board

Health officials have boarded the ship, which is owned by Hong Kong-based Star Cruises, to test the holidaymakers for coronavirus

The ship, which is owned by Hong Kong-based Star Cruises, has been granted special permission to dock despite the government implementing a ban earlier in the week on all international cruises calling at the island.

Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said that the SuperStar Aquarius had been allowed to berth as around 90 per cent of the guests on board are from Taiwan.

Among the rest of the guests are 18 Filipino passengers, three Malaysians, three Vietnamese, one South Korean, one Indonesian, one Burmese, one Singaporean and one Chinese, Star Cruises said. 

Both the guests and crew are now being screened for the fever. 

Mr Shih-chung, who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Centre, added that if anyone tests positive for coronavirus they will be treated in a local hospital. Pictured: Masked Taiwanese police officers guarding the SuperStar Aquarius

It is thought that more than 40 passengers on the cruise liner have visited China in the past 30 days. Pictured: Officials quarantine the ship

It is thought that more than 40 passengers on the cruise liner have visited China in the past 30 days. 

Mr Shih-chung, who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Centre, boarded the ship along with 25 medical workers to begin the screening process which he estimated would take around six hours. 

He added that if anyone tests positive for coronavirus they will be treated in a local hospital.

The other passengers will be kept on the ship in quarantine to safeguard the health of people in Taiwan.

The ship has been granted special permission to dock despite the government implementing a ban earlier in the week on all international cruises calling at the island. Pictured: Epidemic prevention workers boarding the ship

Mr Shih-chung, who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Centre, added that if anyone tests positive for coronavirus they will be treated in a local hospital. Pictured: Passengers wearing protective facemasks

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