An owner of a local travel agency is advising those interested in making vacation plans to avoid taking a cruise.
On Monday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam recommended Canadians avoid taking cruises because COVID-19 can spread quickly onboard a cruise ship.
Chris Mayne of Mayne Travel says this is a rapidly evolving situation but the statement on Monday is quite clear.
“It’s probably safer for people contemplating cruises on the next few months to defer their travel plans for the time being,” he told CKAT.
Back in early February, Trudy and Steve Clement of Callander were among 251 Canadians on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, quarantined off the coast of Japan, after some passengers, including two Canadians, tested positive for the coronavirus.
The couple is now back home safe.
See related: Callander couple among thousands quarantined on cruise ship in Japan
With that situation back in February, Mayne says its something cruise ships have been dealing with for more than a month already.
“This is something that cruise lines have been dealing with for over a month now and the information, the penalties, the re-booking, the cancellation procedures are almost changing week by week,” Mayne said to CKAT.
Mayne remembers SARS and going through Toronto’s airport a decade ago and seeing it almost empty
“But I don’t think people stopped travelling in the numbers that they seem to be in this particular situation,” he said.
Ontario health officials have announced one new case of the novel coronavirus.
The man in his 40s recently travelled to Switzerland and is now at home in self-isolation.
The new case brings Ontario's total number of COVID-19 cases to 36.
(With files from The Canadian Press)
