COVID-19, Travel Companion: The Spanish Experience on Cruise Ships

Abstract

Spain is a country with an important flow of cruises in Europe. Since the restarting of cruise activity, 1,106 events with 12,134 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported from 21 ports. 72.3% of cases and 73.7% of events were registered in the Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Tenerife and Las Palmas, ports with the highest number of layovers and passengers. The events reported increased from October 2021, with a peak in January and April 2022. The cases raised later, in December 2021 with two peaks in January and April and a substantial increase in June 2022. The peak of January coincides with the peak of COVID-19 cases registered in Spain and Europe. The increases in April and June 2022 coincides with the Easter period and the beginning of summer holidays.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• cruise ships
• ports
• events
• Foreign Health Units
• notification