Malta’s Doctors’ Union is threatening industrial action if cruise ship MSC Opera is allowed to enter Valletta amid fears that the coronavirus could reach Malta.

The cruise ship was temporally quarantined after a former passenger contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus. Maltese authorities are reportedly mulling whether or not they should allow the cruise the enter.

Speaking to Malta Today, head of the Medical Association of Malta Martin Balzan claimed that there was “political pressure to overrule a decision taken by the health authorities to stop the ship from coming to Malta”.

The cruise ship is scheduled to make a stop in Malta after Turkey closed its ports to all cruise ships. The ship was self-quarantined in Greece after a previous passenger contracted the virus.

There are 1,579 passengers and 723 crew on board, a total of 2,302 people.  There are no reported cases of coronavirus on board

“This morning at 7:30am I messaged Prof. Charmaine Gauci [Superintendent of Public Health], and she told me that after reviewing all the documentation she had refused entry to the ship. However, senior sources in the government have told me that political pressure is being applied to allow the ship to come to Malta.”

“The passenger who contracted the coronavirus may have been on the ship last week but what about the crew? Have they all been tested? It will be irresponsible to allow the ship to dock and if it does MAM will order industrial action to protect Maltese patients,” he said.

He also insisted that Malta did not have sufficient resources should an epidemic break out in the country..