All of the individuals who are being quarantined after direct or indirect exposure with the three crew members of the container ship Fesco Askold who tested positive for coronavirus a week ago Sunday have yielded negative results for the virus.
The tests were conducted yesterday with the Abbott machine and the results were confirmed using the GenExpert machine.
In addition to the nine Department of Health staff and two pilots from Port Administration who were initially quarantined, two other DOH staffers were taken in later. They apparently didn’t follow the proper decontamination process of the vehicles used that day.
So altogether 14 people are at the DOH Quarantine Facility in Tafuna.
DOH says they will spend another 7 days in quarantine.
Meanwhile the Fesco Askold remains in port and the unloading of its cargo is progressing “slowly but safely” according to Gary Walters, General Manager of Harbor Maritime Stevedoring.
Industry sources say normally the turnaround for a vessel of the size of the Fesco Askold will be 2-3 days, using local stevedores and equipment.
But because of the infected crew members, unloading and loading operations are being handled by the vessel’s crew using one crane on board, to avoid any contact with any more locals, and prevent possible spread.
There are more than 300 containers on board and according to Walters 3/4 of those have been unloaded and at the same time they’ve loaded some of the more than 300 outbound containers.
Walters said they are strictly following guideline set by DOH.
He confirmed reports received by KHJ News that there may be some changes to speed up the unloading operations and get the Fesco Askold on its way back to California.
The ship’s incoming cargo include Thanksgiving and Christmas products and store owners are eager to get their containers released so that shelves can be stocked by this week.
