A Ukrainian seafarer has died after being hospitalised in Singapore with Covid-19.
His death highlights the urgent need for more widespread seafarer vaccination schemes.
Singapore’s health ministry revealed that the 34-year-old male passed away on Monday 2 August.
The ministry said he had not been vaccinated against the virus.
According to health officials, the seafarer developed Covid-19 symptoms, including a fever, cough and lethargy on 25 July. The vessel on which the seafarer worked docked in Singapore on 29 July.
The seafarer was said to have developed breathing problems on 31 July and hospitalised ashore on 1 August. He was confirmed to have Covid-19 the same day.
Ministry officials did not identify the seafarer, nor the vessel on which he arrived in Singapore.
The spate of deaths at sea linked to Covid-19 makes initiatives to vaccinate seafarers all the more urgent but coordinating a global effort has been difficult so far.
The International Labour Organization clarified in late April that port states that are signatories to the Maritime Labour Convention have responsibility to vaccinate foreign seafarers as part of their safety, health and protection obligations under the convention.
Seafarer Covid-19 vaccination programmes are beginning to take off around the world. However, global availability remains patchy, making it difficult for seafarers already onboard vessels to get vaccinated if their ships operate between ports where seafarer vaccination schemes are not available.
According to the International Christian Maritime Association, there are now 17 countries that are offering vaccinations to seafarers, including major labour supply countries such as the Philippines, China, India and Indonesia.
