The body of a Filipino fisherman washed up on a beach in Vanuatu, where it tested positive for COVID-19, causing the Pacific island to ban the outward journey for three days.
The remains were discovered on April 11 near the capital of Port Vila on the island of Efate, Radio New Zealand reported.
The body tested positive for the deadly bug after it was taken to the local morgue.
After the fisherman’s body was located on the beach, a British-flagged tanker was detained by authorities.
Earlier that day, the ship discovered that one crew member was missing when it sailed out of Port Vila. According to CNN, it was ordered to return to port when a search and rescue mission was launched.
In response, Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman announced that the government was issuing an order to ban outbound travel from Efate for three days while efforts to track down contacts were underway.
He called on the public to undergo voluntary testing for the disease.
Russell Tamata, the director general of health, confirmed that 16 people had been quarantined in a hotel, most of them police officers who were on site when the body was found.
It was unclear whether the man died of COVID-19 or how he got ashore.
According to CNN, the country has reported just three cases of the disease, citing data from Johns Hopkins University. It reported its first case in November and two more in March.
