A bulk carrier which was blocked from docking in Western Australia has departed for Indonesia, days after a crew member tested positive to coronavirus.
Federal authorities have cleared the MV Emerald Indah to leave after the ship's master provided a medical assessment declaring the crew were fit and ready for voyage.
"The ship has been granted permission to sail to Indonesia after several requests to berth were denied by Western Australia Authorities," a spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement on Thursday.
A crew member was hospitalised in Geraldton, 420km north of Perth, after falling ill while aboard the vessel over the weekend.
The man in his 50s tested positive for coronavirus and was airlifted to Perth, where he remains in a stable condition at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
His departure from Geraldton Hospital on Monday led to a coronavirus breach involving a staff member who entered a lift that had been used by the crewman.
WA Health official Helen Van Gessel said the hospital worker was not involved in the patient's transfer but had inadvertently entered the lift before it had been appropriately cleaned. They were not wearing personal protective equipment.
"This error was immediately identified. The staff member was sent home to isolate immediately and didn't have any contact with the community," Dr Van Gessel said.
The staff member, who is fully vaccinated, will be required to complete 14 days in quarantine. They will also be tested three times during that period.
It emerged on Wednesday that the crewman had spent up to three hours in the emergency department at Geraldton before being moved to a negative pressure room.
Around 50 people who were in the ED at the same time have been classified as casual contacts of the man.
The cohort, including 28 staff and 18 patients, will be allowed to access the community but must get three coronavirus tests across a 14-day period.
"There is a very small risk ... that there might have been a transmission event within the emergency department," WA Health infectious disease specialist Clare Huppatz said.
All staff involved in the patient's direct care and transfer, including paramedics, were found to have worn appropriate protective equipment.
The MV Emerald Indah had spent several days lingering off the coast of Kwinana, south of Perth, where it had been due to make a wheat collection.
WA police chief and state emergency coordinator Chris Dawson had signed an emergency order preventing the ship from docking at Kwinana.
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