More than 2,000 ships restart fishing in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang Province on Sunday after a three-month break. A storm named Yanhua and floods in July also interrupted ships' work. Photo: cnsphoto

A total of 13 crew members onboard a bulk carrier, which departed from the Philippines on July 30 and arrived in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang Province, are suffering from fever, local epidemic control and prevention authorities confirmed on Sunday. The crew members have not confirmed if they have contracted COVID-19, but are showing severe symptoms including difficulty of breathing, the Global Times has learned. 

Duan Xiucong, one of the crew members, told the Global Times on Sunday that so far they have not received nucleic acid testing, and cannot confirm if they have contracted the COVID-19. 

However, he said a few of his colleagues, as well as himself, have developed severe symptoms, including difficulty breathing and intense coughing. Several crew are now using an oxygen bottle to ease the symptoms, Duan said. 

They have been instructed to remain on the ship, and wait for rescue teams from Zhoushan, who are expected to be in place in one or two days, Duan added.  

The GrandProgress bulk carrier, a Panamanian vessel whose mother company is located in North China's Tianjin Municipality, is carrying a crew of 20. On July 2-14, it docked at a port in Indonesia, and arrived at a port in the Philippines on July 26, reads a statement released on Sunday by the Zhoushan health authorities. 

The vessel left the Philippines on July 30 for Nantong, East China's Jiangsu Province, during which time 13 crew members developed symptoms of fever. Nantong denied the entry of the ship, leaving it isolated in the waters off Zhoushan, the statement said. 

Currently, emergency rescue is being provided to the crew members, Zhoushan health authorities have guaranteed the rescue will be completed in strict accordance with local epidemic prevention orders. 

Further information will be released as it becomes available, the statement noted. 

All the crew members are Chinese citizens, and a few had already developed fever-like symptoms as early as July 30, according to a video circulating on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo and WeChat on Saturday. 

A few others on the ship developed similar symptoms the next day, said the man in the video, who is seen holding his identification card in hand and standing inside a vessel cabin. He added that many onboard have been suffering from fever, cough, sore throat and fatigue. 

Meanwhile, the crew members and the parent company of the Grand Progress did not respond to the Global Times inquiry as of press time. 

A few days prior, Rizhao in East China's Shandong Province has received a vessel from South Korea with 21 Chinese crew members onboard, the Elim Peace bulk carrier. A total of 10 crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and were immediately transferred to local hospitals for medical treatment.