Notorious coronavirus-stricken cruise ship leaves Australian port

The coronavirus-stricken cruise ship, the Ruby Princess, set off from Australian shores on Thursday after the police ordered it to leave a month ago. This cruise shiphas been subjected to a criminal investigation after it became Australia's largest single source of coronavirus infections.

The Ruby Princess has been linked to 19 deaths in Australia and two in the United States. The 19 deaths onboard the Ruby Princess has taken Australia's toll to75deaths.An enquiry is being conducted by the government about why were around 2,700 passengers and crew allowed to disembark without waiting for the swab results.

Many passengers onboard the Ruby Princess flew from Sydney overseas. Two died at home in the United States, including 64-year-old Los Angeles resident Chung Chen. The deceased'sfamily is suing Princess Cruises for more than USD 1 million for failing to alert passengers to the risk.

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The departure from Port Kembla, south of Sydney was delayed as a lot of crew members were tested positive, several of whom have died in Sydney hospitals.As the cruise ship left the shores of Australia today,New South Wales state banned further cruise ship arrivals until new health protocols are agreed with the federal government.

It departed from the port with a skeleton crew late in the afternoon nudged by two tug boats. While leaving, there was a large banner hanging across its sternthat read, "Thank You Illawarra" .

Princess Cruises did not immediately disclose where the ship was heading. However, local media reported that its next destination is Philippines.On Thursday morning, 300 Filipino crew left the ship and were taken to Sydney to catch a charter flight to Manila. They travelled from Port Kembla in 40 buses that were equipped with social distancing rules.

"We have been given no option to leave we have to stay on board. Myself and my family are worried and scared of what will happen next," the email of one crew member on board the cruise read.

As the police ordered the cruise ship to leave in March, the state police are now investigating whether Ruby Princess' management downplayed potential COVID-19 cases before passengers disembarked. The cruise belongs to the Princess Cruises,a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, which is incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in California.

Health authorities said everyone who remained on board had been cleared of the virus. The ship's doctor Ilse Von Watzdorf tsaidthat she was surprised health authorities had allowed passengers to leave in Sydney before the test results were known. She also provided evidence to the inquiry by video-link from the ship where she has been in quarantine.