Hundreds of people have reportedly contracted the coronavirus on a cruise ship in Australia.

The broadcaster 9News spoke of 800 infected passengers and crew members on the “Majestic Princess” on Friday. The shipping company Princess Cruises confirmed the virus outbreak without initially giving exact numbers. "The guests have only mild symptoms or are asymptomatic and they isolate themselves in their cabins," Australian media quoted a spokesman for the shipping company as saying. All unaffected passengers also wear masks for protection. The crew had been instructed to put on full protective gear.

The luxury liner is scheduled to dock in Sydney early Saturday morning (local time). "Even though the government has said we need to coexist with Covid, it is worrying to think that 800 people who tested positive for the coronavirus will go ashore tomorrow," a reporter from 9News said.

There are 4600 people on the ship. Private means of transport had been organized in Sydney for the infected people so that they could isolate themselves quickly, it said.