Cambodia gets more praise for allowing cruise ship to dock

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — The cruise ship that was allowed to dock in Cambodia after being turned away at five other ports by authorities fearful of the spread of the deadly new virus from China disembarked passengers for a second day on Saturday so they can fly home.

After being stranded at sea for two weeks, the MS Westerdam was allowed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to dock for what he said were humanitarian reasons.

The Cambodian leader's decision won praise from President Donald Trump, who tweeted: “Thank you to the beautiful country of Cambodia for accepting the @CarnivalCruise ship Westerdam into your port. The United States will remember your courtesy!”

Malaysia said an 83-year-old American woman who was a passenger on the ship has tested positive for the virus. The health ministry said 145 passengers from the ship flew to Malaysia on Friday.

The woman and her 85-year-old husband were found to have symptoms upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur airport and were taken to a hospital for further tests. The woman was diagnosed with the virus Saturday. Her husband tested negative but was still under observation. The woman's case raised Malaysia’s total number of cases to 22.

The first batch of hundreds of passengers from the ship who disembarked Friday saw Hun Sen arrive by helicopter and then personally hand them flowers as they made their way to land.

Many were taken to the airport in the port of Sihanoukville from which they were flown to the capital, Phnom Penh, to make onward connections to home.

The ship's earlier appeals to land in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Guam had been rejected.

"The one thing I can say is we're very, very grateful that Cambodia has opened literally its ports and its doors to people in need," U.S....