Over 6,000 tourists have been confined on a cruise ship off the coast of Italy on Thursday over fears of two suspected cases of the deadly coronavirus on board.
The vast liner was placed on lockdown while two people were tested for the deadly coronavirus.
Samples from the two passengers, a Chinese couple, were sent for testing after three doctors and a nurse boarded the Costa Crociere ship in the port of Civitavecchia, north-west of Rome, to tend to a woman running a fever, local health authorities said.
Costa Crociere confirmed that its Costa Smerelda ship, carrying some 7,000 people including the crew, was on lockdown.
It said it a 54-year old woman from Macau "was placed in solitary confinement in the on-board hospital last night with her travel companion", and was following instructions from the health ministry.
The couple flew in to Milan from Hong Kong on January 25, before getting on the cruise, according to Italian media reports.