NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb says the Ruby Princess is highly unlikely to leave Port Kembla this weekend.
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At a media conference at midday on Saturday, she said the chance of it leaving Sunday, as flagged by Police Commissioner Mick Fuller last week, was "remote" as "we're putting the health of the crew first".
Asst Commissioner Webb said she wouldn't like to speculate on a possible leaving date for the troubled ship, but said it would be most likely be towards the end of next week.
"We're still working through getting the results of testing all the crew," she said.
"We're yet to get to a point where we can say the crew are well enough to travel and when we get to that point we'll make that clear."
NSW Health announced on Thursday that all crew would be tested, after calls to do so from Illawarra Labor MPS and unions.
Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said of the 1000 or so crew on board, 162 have now tested positive, which is an additional nine from yesterday.
"In addition there are 13 crew members in health facilities in NSW," he said.
"Almost all the crew have now been tested."
He said they were having two sorts of tests done on the ship, one for unwell crew, as well as an antibody test for those who may have recovered from the disease.
"Public health people are working very closely with the laboratory to interpret those data," Dr McAnulty said.
"The good thing is that as of yesterday there has been no additional cases of likely COVID [presenting with symptoms] on board. It looks like the outbreak has been quelled."
Keira MP Ryan Park said he was pleased to see the ship would not be leaving prematurely on Sunday, and said there was no point setting "arbitrary" date targets for when the ship would leave.
"We don't think this ship should set sail until there's a guarantee that the crew are healthy and well and can make the voyage," he said.
"I think thats what Australians would expect if they were onboard a ship somewhere overseas.
"Until they give that clearance, i don't think anyone should be comfortable with allowing that ship to leave."
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Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
