Ruby Princess contradictions in NSW Special Commission and answers to Senate Select Committee

Exhibits before the NSW Special Commission into the Ruby Princess show that a port agent for Carnival Cruises booked two NSW ambulances to take passengers off the Ruby Princess the evening before it docked  - and said they were suspected of having coronavirus. This was the first indication from the Ruby Princess that the ship's doctor suspected coronavirus cases aboard.

Shortly after midnight the CEO of Carnival Cruises, before the Ruby Princess had docked, and after the harbour master rescinded permission for the Ruby Priness to dock, the ship's doctor told Sydney Harbour authorities that the ambulances were booked for two passengers who had non-Covid health conditions. On receiving this deceptive information, the Ruby Princess was given permission to dock and disembark its passengers.

A letter to the Senate Select Committee, consistent with the CEO's assertion, lists the conditions of the two passengers for whom ambulances were booked as being unrelated to coronavirus. 

The operators of the Ruby Princess had recently experienced a similar situation with the Diamond Princess - initially cleared to dock in Yokohama - but that clearance was rescinded when Japanese authorities received conformation that coronavirus was spreading among passengers. 

It is likely that the operators of the Ruby Princess deceived Australian authorities and withheld information to avoid a repeat of the situation with the Diamond Princess in Japan the month before...

Chronology of COVID-19 Cases on the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship and Ethical Considerations: A Report From Japan

The Diamond Princess cruise ship has been anchored at the Yokohama port in Japan since February 3, 2020. A total of 691 cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection had been confirmed as of February 23. The government initially assumed that the infection was not spreading aboard and therefore indicated that any persons who either tested negative for the virus or were asymptomatic should immediately disembark. However, on February 5, the government set a 14-day health observation period because of the severity of the infection. Passengers confirmed to be free from infection began disembarking on Day 15 (February 19) of the quarantine.

On February 1, 2020, Hong Kong’s government announced that pneumonia due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was confirmed in Mr A, an 80-year-old male passenger on the Diamond Princess who had disembarked on January 25. Later, on February 3, the Diamond Princess docked off Daikoku Pier at Yokohama Port. No immediate word was issued on when the ship would be permitted to dock.

The number of COVID-19-infected patients on the Diamond Princess increased rapidly. The first 10 cases were confirmed on February 5, and, by February 23, when passengers began disembarking, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 691.

 

The calls taken by NSW Ambulance were quite clear and unambiguous. 

• The message that originated with 'them' calling the CEO of Carnival Cruises is contradictory. 
• It is this version that is most likely in error. 
• The passengers taken by ambulance did in fact have coronavirus symptoms and infections when taken off the Ruby Princess. 

The extracts below are from transcripts of telephone calls in NSW Special Commission exhibits available at https://www.rubyprincessinquiry.nsw.gov.au/assets/scirp/files/Exhibits-17-20.pdf. 

The 3 paragraphs copied after the transcript extracts are from a letter to Senator Katy Gallagher, Chair Senate Select Committee on COVID-19. The letter is available at "11. 20200814_Responsefrom Secretary Metcalfe to the Chair's letter including attachments.pdf"

6:59:37 pm 18 March 2020          Table 1

Transcript of phone call – Ashley Nguyen, NSW Ambulance Service and Bibi Tokovic, port agent for Carnival Cruises

Call taker	Ambulance Emergency what town and suburb.
Bibi	Hi sorry um my name is Bibi. I'm calling on behalf of Carnival Australia.
Call taker	Mmmm
Bibi	I have two passengers onboard a cruise vessel arriving in the early hours morning.
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	I've had a request by the doctor and forward to book him an ambulance.
Call taker	Sorry could you just bear with me a second.
Bibi	Sure.
Call taker	I just have to get my supervisor if you could just give me a moment.
Bibi	Sure. Yeah yeah yeah take your time.
Call taker	What was the diagnosis of the patient, sorry?
Bibi	So basically they're infectious. They've got an upper respiratory tract uh that they also require cardiology consult.
Call taker	Mmmm.
Bibi	So that's one of them and the second one is the same. They're uh infectious. They've got upper respiratory tracts and they have severe lower back pain and I can't even read the words, please excuse my medical ...
Call taker	Yep.
Bibi	.. .femoral nerve radiculopathy.
Call taker	Yep. Yep. If I could please have the patient's name.
Bibi	Sure. So the first patient is Mr Anthony ...
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	Londero spelt L-O-N-D-E-R-O.
Call taker	And what was his date of birth?
Bibi	I'm just waiting for those details. That'll probably come through as I'm speaking to you.
Call taker	Yes and where are we picking them up from?
Bibi	So the cruise vessel will arrive at 2.30. They will be ready in the medical centre at 3.00am at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Call taker	That's the one in Circular Quay.
Bibi	Correct. Yeah.
Call taker	And what dock?
Bibi	Sorry that's what it is called the Overseas Passenger Terminal. All the same
Call taker	And which hospital will they ...
Bibi	We've been requested by New South Wales to take them to the Royal Prince Alfred.
Call taker	And the diagnosis of um…
Bibi	So it says: “febrile upper respiratory tract infection. Signs of rate related cardio ischemia".
Call taker	I'm sorry, could you repeat that for me please.
Bibi	Sure uh signs of rate related cardiac ischaemia.
Call taker	So, is he infectious?
Bibi	So the doctor has told me they've been tested for corona ...
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	... virus so precautions need to be taken. So possibly.
Call taker	And will he require a stretcher?
Bibi	Yes he will.
Call taker	Yep and what was the name of the referring doctor.
Bibi	Umm oh God I don't have it on the tip of my - that'll probably come through sorry.
Call taker	Yes, that's ok, or the receiving doctor at RPA?
Bibi	Or receiving sister RPA Emergency so yeah.
Call taker	Ok. Did you have an MRN?
Bibi	I don't know what that is, sorry.
Call taker	A medical records number.
Bibi	Um no. All I know he's Australian.
Call taker	Okay. Yes.
Bibi	So ...
Call taker	And what was your name?
Bibi	Bibi B-I-B-I.
Call taker	Yes. And what is your role?
Bibi	Um a Port Agent.
Call taker	And the number that you're calling from?
Bibi	-
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	----
Call taker	And who do you work for?
Bibi	Carnival Australia.
Call taker	And the ship was arriving at 2.30? Was that correct?
Bibi	Correct yes.
Call taker	And they'll be ready at 3 ...
Bibi	They'll be ready at 3 by the time we sort of tie her up and stuff.
Call taker	Yeah. Is there a specific place where the paramedics need to go or ...
Bibi	Uh they will - they'll see a gatehouse. If they just make their way through the gatehouse they'll be directed by security and I'll be there on - on the dockside waiting for them to escort them.
Call taker	inaudible down [pause] sorry I'm just putting all this in.
Bibi	Sure.
Call taker	All three ... yeah, okay. Sorry, just give me a moment.
Bibi	That's okay. Take your time.
Call taker	[Typing information] And the name of the next passenger.
Bibi	Yeah is Mrs Lesley L-E-S-L-E-Y.
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	Last name Bacon B-A-C-O-N.
Call taker	And any date of birth or still ...
Bibi	No not yet. No sorry. [Pause] Hang on. Something just came through as I was talking to you. Oh, I've got a date of birth for them.
Call taker	I'm sorry just a moment. Yep, what was the date of birth?
Bibi	So Ms Bacon is 27 th of October.
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	1942. And I'm just waiting for Mr Londero I can see that he's texting me.
Call taker	I'll just continue to put all these details in.
Bibi	Are you ready for the second one?
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	So he is the 2 nd of March.
Call taker	Yes.
Bibi	1968.
Call taker	Yes thank you. Yep and what was um Ms Bacon's diagnosis, sorry
Bibi	So she's got febrile, upper respiratory tract infections.
Call taker	Mm.
Bibi	And there's severe lower back pain with signs projective of a, please bear with me again, Femoral nerve radiculopathy.

 

12:12:46 am 19 March 2020       Table 13

Transcript of phone call

Peter Dilonardo	Sydney Control, Pete.
SC XXX	Hi Peter, it's Snr Constable XXX from Sydney Water Police.
Peter Dilonardo	How are you?
SC XXX	Yeah good. So, this is a bit of a roundabout, but we — I've just to Cameron [Butchart], the Harbour Master, who's called the -
Peter Dilonardo	I guess the phone number
SC XXX	Yeah, well he's called them, but he's also — he called — they've called the CEO of Carnival Australia.
Peter Dilonardo	OK yep.
SC XXX	He said that from Bibi they then booked two Ambulances for non-Covid related
Peter Dilonardo	Ahhh we've got it as Covid-related.

 

 

3:51:22 am 19 March 2020          Table 27

Transcript of phone call

Chris Townsend

They did have 11 other patients that they have been in contact with the Public Health Officer um over and they've already disembarked and made their way to Prince of Wales or RPA.

 

In “11. 20200814_Response from Secretary Metcalfe to the Chair's letter including attachments.pdf” at pages 37-38 (of pdf file) paged 32-33 (in document), paragraphs 138 and 140.

138.  Ms Khan also recalls Mr [Cameron] Butchart telling her that he could stop the ship if need be. She does not recall him saying words to the effect: ‘[t]he Ruby Princess is still in safe water to be sent back to sea … you have about 20 minutes to make a pretty quick decision before I can’t turn the vessel around.’ Instead, she recalls him saying that, if there was anything that confirmed that this vessel had suspected COVID-19 cases on board, then he had a pilot on board and it could stop at Bradleys Head. Ms Khan does not recall any timing for stopping the ship being mentioned at this point. Ms Khan recalls telling Mr Butchart that she needed to find out what information ABF’s Maritime officers had on the ambulance cases and relay that information back to Mr Butchart.

139. At 12.54 am, Ms Khan called her supervisor, Mr Shane Murray (the on-call Border Force Supervisor for Shipping Operations) and spoke to him for six minutes. ¹⁰² Ms Khan asked about ambulance cases and whether the vessel had clearance to berth. Mr Murray recalls advising Ms Khan that NSW Health was not attending and the disembarkation would proceed. Ms Khan recalls Mr Murray telling her that the ambulances were for cardiac [see "rate related cardio ischemia"] and nerve issues [see "Femoral nerve radiculopathy"] and were for non-COVID-19 cases [but see "febrile, upper respiratory tract infections"].

102  Call logs, NSW RCU (Ms Sharon Khan) (19 March 2020), row 5 (DHA.0002.0007.0001);

Call logs, Mr Shane Murray (Work mobile) (19 March 2020), row 2 (DHA.0002.0007.0009).

140. Ms Khan then placed a call back to Mr Butchart, which call records indicate took place at 1.01 am and lasted four minutes. ¹⁰³ Ms Khan’s recollection is that she explained that ABF’s records showed that the ambulances were called out for non-COVID-19 cases and that NSW Health had given clearance for the passengers to disembark. Ms Khan does not recall making any reference to speaking to her supervisor. Ms Khan denies saying words to the effect of ‘bring it in’, but agrees that she would have said that the vessel had been given clearance to dock.

103  Call logs, NSW RCU (Ms Sharon Khan) (19 March 2020), row 6 (DHA.0002.0007.0001).