Costa Cruises has confirmed that Italian health officials diagnosed the passenger onboard Costa Smeralda with the common flu. 

Earlier on Thursday, the ship had essentially been quarantined in the port of Civitavecchia due coronavirus concerns. 

“The situation on the ship, which is docked in Civitavecchia, has been under constant control and the crew have provided the best possible assistance. Guests who were in the meantime traveling to the Terminal also found the Costa crew ready to assist them,” Costa said, in a prepared statement.

“Thanks to the protocols that are applied onboard the fleet, last night our medical team promptly identified a suspected fever case in a 54-year-old woman, just a few hours before the ship’s arrival in Civitavecchia. As soon as the case was discovered, the required precautionary procedures were immediately taken. The relevant authorities were informed and, on arrival of the ship in the port of Civitavecchia they carried out all the checks required.

“While we appreciate the inconvenience caused, the procedures in force and our cooperation with the Health Authorities were effective in managing this situation and were intended to ensure maximum safety for all our guests, crew and the community as a whole.”

The ship will skip the port of La Spezia, scheduled for tomorrow, and will remain docked at Civitavecchia on Friday, before leaving to conclude its current cruise as scheduled in Savona, Italy.