American woman from cruise ship tests positive again for coronavirus in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): An American passenger from a cruise ship docked in Cambodia has tested positive for the new coronavirus a second time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia said on Sunday, after the cruise operator sought further tests.

Malaysia said on Saturday the 83-year-old woman who had been onboard the MS Westerdam, operated by a unit of Carnival Corp, had tested positive for the virus after arriving in Kuala Lumpur from Cambodia. She was the first from the ship, which was carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, to test positive.

But the cruise ship operator had sought more tests. Cambodian authorities also called on Malaysia to review its test results.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Waz Azizah Wan Ismail said on Sunday a retest was carried out on the American late on Saturday night and she tested positive again. Her husband tested negative.