Top health official bursts into tears over claims dozens of passengers were left off Ruby Princess’ list of sick passengers before they strolled off into Sydney - and now at least 20 people linked to the ship have died
- A NSW Health officials wept as she gave evidence at the Ruby Princess inquiry
- The cruise is linked to 21 COVID-19 deaths in Australia and more than 600 cases
- Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler about 'reprehensible shortcomings'
- She broke down and told the inquiry she was 'very sorry' for the debacle
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A top NSW Health official was reduced to tears and admitted she would now 'do things 'very differently' after the Ruby Princess coronavirus fiasco.
Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler was questioned on Tuesday during a special commission of inquiry hearing into the doomed cruise.
Answering a question about 'reprehensible shortcomings' by NSW Health, she burst into tears and said she was 'very sorry' for her role in the tragedy.
Border and health officials have been at loggerheads over who was to blame for the debacle, which saw 2,700 cruise passengers disembark in Sydney with no health checks.
Thousands of passengers, around 600 of whom later tested positive for COVID-19, were allowed to spill out into Sydney Harbour and travel across the country.
The incident on March 19 has since been linked to 21 of Australia's coronavirus deaths.
Kelly-Anne Ressler from NSW Health (pictured) broke down into tears during the Ruby Princess inquiry on Tuesday
Ms Ressler - coordinator of the department's cruise ship health program - told the commission an expert health panel had been created to specifically look into the risks of COVID-19 earlier in 2020.
Commissioner Bret Walker SC on Tuesday asked Ms Ressler why he 'should not draw the conclusion that there has been a reprehensible shortcoming from NSW Health'.
'All I can say is that I'm very sorry it turned out the way it did, it was not our intention,' she replied as she fought back tears.
'Myself and my colleagues at the public health unit were working very hard on this.
'We did what we could and if we could do it again it would be very different.'
Although not part of the panel, she was involved in providing 'assistance and suggestions' towards a draft protocol document, which was released on February 19.
The doomed Ruby Princess cruise ship (pictured) is seen leaving Port Kembla in Wollongong on April 23, with a banner draped over the back saying 'Thank You Illawarra'
Kelly-Anne Ressler from NSW Health (pictured) admitted things would be done 'very differently' now
Some local residents came to wave off the Ruby Princess on April 23 (pictured) in Woolongong, as it finally set sail for the Philippines
The protocol suggested all passengers visit a ship's medical centre if they had respiratory symptoms or a fever, with isolation to follow.
But, Ms Ressler said, while a ship was at sea she had 'no jurisdiction' to control what actions were taken.
The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangement has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation'.
Counsel assisting Richard Beasley SC said there were only 25 COVID-19 test kits available on board the cruise ship, with only 13 people swabbed by the time the ship docked.
Mr Walker asked if Ms Ressler thought it was strange more people were tested for influenza than for coronavirus.
'I wasn't part of the decision-making for developing the testing criteria and until you raise it with me now I wasn't aware it was so unsatisfactory,' Ms Ressler said.
Kelly-Anne Ressler (pictured) is a senior epidemiologist for NSW Health and gave evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday
Crew members are seen waving as the Ruby Princess left Australian waters on April 23 (pictured), with one displaying a banner reading 'Thank you Australia'
The special commission is required to deliver its final report by mid-August.
A separate Senate inquiry into the Ruby Princess began on Tuesday in Canberra, while a NSW Police criminal probe is also underway.
On Tuesday, the Ruby Princess was off the east coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao en route to Manila.
The ship departed Port Kembla in Wollongong almost a fortnight ago.
On Tuesday afternoon, the head of the powerful Home Affairs department will also be quizzed over the Ruby Princess debacle.
Kelly-Anne Ressler (pictured) is a senior epidemiologist for NSW Health and gave evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday
A crew member on board the Ruby Princess waved a flag from his room as the ship set sail for Manila on April 23 (pictured), draping a banner over his balcony reading 'Thank You Australia'
Hundreds of crew members from the Ruby Princess were taken by bus to be put on planes back to their home countries on April 23 (pictured) before the ship set sail
Michael Pezzullo will front a Senate committee examining the government's response to the coronavirus crisis, along with officials from Border Force and the agriculture and environment departments.
Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the whole affair was an extraordinary lapse of border security.
'We cannot forget that allowing the Ruby Princess to dock in Sydney - and the way it was handled - is a human tragedy and over 30 Australians have lost their lives as a result of it,' she told AAP.
'There are no less than four handbrakes the Morrison government could have applied to stop the Ruby Princess debacle and today we will ask why these weren't applied.'
The day before the ship arrived, Mr Morrison banned cruise ships from docking in Australia due to the fears of coronavirus, which has been shown to spread quickly on cruises.
The Ruby Princess cruise ship (pictured) as she began her departure from Port Kembla on April 23
The Ruby Princess was given a water canon salute as it departed from Port Kembla on April 23 (pictured)
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