With the virus outbreak on one of Hurtigruten's ships fresh in mind, the Norwegian government is banning certain cruises to the Svalbard archipelago.

”"Infection on board a cruise ship requires significant resources to contain the outbreak and poses a number of practical challenges. This is especially true in Svalbard," says Minister of Health Bent Høie.

”"Therefore, it is necessary to change the rules to reduce the risk of similar outbreaks as on Hurtigruten."”

The ban does not apply to day cruises or cruises that start and end in Svalbard, with a maximum of 30 people on board. The rules will apply at least until November 1.

It was in late July that it became clear that both passengers and staff had been infected with the coronavirus aboard the Hurtigruten ship Roald Amundsen, which was en route to Svalbard. The company canceled its cruises after the incident, which prompted other Norwegian shipping companies to tighten their procedures.

Source: TT