A cruise ship carrying about 2,500 passengers was ordered back to port in Hong Kong over a single positive Covid case.
Nine people on board Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas deemed as close contacts were disembarked and taken to a quarantine centre.
All reportedly tested negative.
Spectrum of the Seas has been sailing cruises to nowhere short domestic sailings.
Authorities have now banned all cruises.
All other guests on the ship were held onboard to undergo testing.
Royal Carribbean told CNN it was informed of the possible Covid exposures a day earlier and tested and isolated the relevant passengers.
The exposure is reportedly linked to a small outbreak of Cathay Pacific crew members, some of who violated isolation rules before testing positive.
Hong Kong has reported 114 cases of the Omicron variant so far.
