Ruby Princess Crew Tests Positive For Tuberculosis

Passengers onboard the coronavirus-afflicted Ruby Princess have been sent another warning from the New South Wales health department after a crew member was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

The alert was sent on Saturday (May 30) to all the Ruby Princess passengers who were on board the cruise ship between March 8 to March 19.

The crew member was diagnosed weeks after passengers disembarked from the cruise on March 19 — it was later linked to more than 700 COVID-19 cases in Australia.

The affected male crew member is currently being treated in Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW said.

The letter, from the health department’s acting director of communicable diseases, Dr Christine Selvey, told passengers “there is no reason to believe you are at increased risk of contracting tuberculosis from being on the cruise ship”.

The letter also assured the passengers that “they need not to be screened at this time”.

BREAKING: Passengers onboard the Ruby Princess have been told of a new health warning, a case of Tuberculosis onboard. Crew member currently in hospital for COVID-19 tested positive last week. @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/IVFH34uywz

— Cameron Price (@campricenews) May 30, 2020

The ill-fated cruise, Ruby Princess has been linked to at least 22 coronavirus deaths so far in Australia.