Cruise ship with 800 COVID-19 cases docks in Australia

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A cruise ship with around 800 cases of COVID-19 on board has docked in Australia, as New South Wales declares a fourth wave of the virus.

The Majestic Princess docked at Sydney's international cruise ship passenger terminal at Circular Quay. Passengers started to disembark Saturday morning local time.

Almost one in four guests on board have been diagnosed with COVID-19 after a 12-day trip around New Zealand, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

A Princess Cruises spokesperson told the Herald that guests with COVID-19, who were all "mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic," were to isolate in their rooms on board the vessel before disembarking.

"Guests who have not been impacted are wearing masks and this will continue when they disembark," the spokesperson said.

NSW has entered a fourth wave of COVID-19, Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant said.

"The wave is taking off with some trajectory, it will be quite a steep wave and hopefully the decline will be equally as steep," she told ABC News.

"That's why it's important the community takes these protective measures now and I can't stress the urgency -- if you're going to get vaccinated, do it immediately."