Nine infected crew members who had remained aboard a Panamanian vessel were sent ashore to a designated hospital for further medical observation and treatment in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Sunday afternoon.

According to a statement released by the Zhoushan city health commission on Monday, the nine include five who tested positive for the coronavirus and four who tested negative after they were sent ashore.

As of Sunday afternoon, all 20 Chinese crew members on the vessel, Grand Progress, had been sent ashore for treatment and observation, the statement said.

Last week, 11 crew members from the vessel who tested positive were sent ashore for treatment, the statement said.

The Zhoushan city government created a special task force to handle the matter and initiated emergency procedures when nine crews on board sought medical help after developing fevers on Aug 3.

A medical team, including six doctors, boarded the vessel to conduct tests, disinfect and help treat the patients after their condition was reported. A total of 16 crew members tested positive for COVID-19, 11 of whom were sent ashore for treatment last week.

Five infected crew members with mild symptoms were treated on board, waiting for replacements to arrive, as the vessel required a minimum crew.

The vessel is carrying 42,000 metric tons of coal — almost a full load. It had 20 Chinese crew members on board when it left the Philippines for Zhoushan on July 30. Before that, it was docked in Indonesia from July 2 to 14.

Only one of the crew had been vaccinated against COVID-19.