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Scientists Stuck on Research Ship in Arctic as Borders Closed Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

CC BY 2.0 / Tvabutzku1234 / The German research icebreaker Polarstern in Bremerhaven
The German research icebreaker Polarstern in Bremerhaven - Sputnik International
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The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of the Arctic Climate or MOSAiC project involves more than 60 institutions from 19 countries and amid the coronavirus pandemic and worldwide closure of borders, it seems unlikely that scientists will cross international borders just to reach a common embarkation point.

A group of researchers from various fields of science have been stuck on board the Polarstern research ship as countries have shut down their borders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The scientists are studying the effect of global warming on the Arctic region as part of a project called the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of the Arctic Climate, or MOSAiC.

A group of scientists usually lives on the research vessel for six weeks after which a new group arrives to replace them and bring supplies.

The current group was scheduled to be replaced in mid-April by a group flying out from Svalbard, Norway but as the latter closed its borders in late-March as a precautionary measure amid the pandemic, the swap won't happen. 

Glacier Near Champ Island of the Franz Josef Land Archipelago. - Sputnik International
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Moreover, the new team will be put in quarantine for 14 days and monitored for potential symptoms of COVID-19. 

The current team is healthy and have enough supplies to survive the delay.

"People on Polarstern are safe, they are in a virus-free environment, they have all the provisions they need. They are focusing on science", MOSAiC expedition leader Markus Rex told the media.

As of Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 600,000 with the US topping the list at more than 100,000 confirmed cases. Italy currently still holds the top spot in terms of fatalities with 9,000 lethal cases.

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