The Greg Mortimer cruise ship takes passengers to Antarctica and South Georgia. Photo / Supplied
The Greg Mortimer cruise ship takes passengers to Antarctica and South Georgia. Photo / Supplied
A Tauranga woman stranded on a cruise ship off the Uruguayan coast has tested positive for Covid-19.
Her husband is believed to have already recovered from the virus.
They've described their testing results as "mad".
This week, 128 passengers, crew and staff tested positive for Covid-19, out of 217 aboard.The other 89 were negative and another six people have been taken to hospitals onshore.
Tina and Graham, whom NZME has agreed not to fully name, have been stuck on the Greg Mortimer, anchored at the mouth of the Rio de la Plata off the coast of Montevideo, since March 27.
The couple's mixed results came as a surprise to them.
Tina hasn't experienced any symptoms and said she "never expected to get it".
Today is their 17th day in their 9m by 4m cabin and small balcony area.
Medical staff on board said Graham had likely recovered from Covid-19 before the testing took place, considering Tina tested positive.
"Apart from being tired at one stage, I haven't felt anything," Graham said.
"It's not scary because neither of us have experienced the symptoms," Tina said.
"It's quite amazing."
The Greg Mortimer cruise ship takes passengers to Antarctica and South Georgia. Photo / Supplied
The couple had planned a three-week voyage to Antarctica and South Georgia but that was cut short by fever on board and troubles finding somewhere to anchor last month.
Tina and Graham left New Zealand on March 11 and their cruise left Argentina on March 15.
They were told of the first fever on board on March 22 and have not been able to leave their cabins and balconies since.
Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said 16 New Zealanders were on the ship.
Uruguayan medical staff on their own ship, preparing to embark the Greg Mortimer to test passengers. Photo / Supplied
The latest update on the Aurora Expeditions' website, on Tuesday afternoon (NZT) said everyone on the ship with Covid-19 had symptoms.
"All six people ashore are stable."
Aurora Expeditions has not confirmed how many of these people have Covid-19 but said last week the first person taken off the ship tested positive.
In Tuesday's update, Aurora Expeditions said it preferred to disembark all passengers at the same time.
"The nature of the situation and the difficulty in securing flights has meant it is likely that the Australian and New Zealand passengers will leave the vessel before our European (United Kingdom included) and North American passengers."
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It said a medically equipped plane would take Australian and New Zealand passengers back to Melbourne and all would undergo their mandatory 14-day quarantine there. Tina and Graham were uplifted by news of the flight but "things can change very quickly" Graham said.
"They're still working with the authorities [in Uruguay]. We've just had a water barge come in. There is another doctor who has come on board. So the Uruguayans are being really good as far as we understand."
"All we want is to get home," Tina said.
"We are all helping each other [on this ship], we are all supporting each other. It's actually amazing with everybody pulling together to do their upmost to make the best out of a terrible situation."
All passengers were tested by staff from a Uruguayan hospital, dressed in full protective equipment, on the weekend.
Uruguayan medical staff on the Greg Mortimer testing passengers. Photo / Supplied
The passengers' medical histories were also taken and their breathing checked.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said todaythe ministry was working with Aurora Expeditions and the Australian Government to get New Zealanders home from the Greg Mortimer.
"However, this is a complex operation."
The ministry would not comment on how many New Zealanders tested positive for Covid-19.
It also wouldn't comment on plans to fly passengers home "until they have been finalised and those on the ship have been advised".
