A fishing boat sails past the Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess cruise ship as it docks in Manila Bay during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cavite city, Philippines, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Carnival Corp's (CCL.N) Australian unit has been ordered to pay the medical expenses of a woman who contracted COVID-19, with a judge ruling that the cruise ship operator misled passengers about safety risks in a landmark class action ruling. The decision from Australia's Federal Court is the first class action win against a cruise ship operator in the world, according to Shine Lawyers, who represent about 1,000 Australian plaintiffs in the suit. Legal filings show the operator denied it knew before the voyage that the risk of contracting COVID was higher on a cruise ship than in the community. The number of plaintiffs could also grow should Australia's High Court rule that some 700 U.S. passengers can be included in the class action.

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Persons: Eloisa Lopez, COVID, Angus Stewart, Susan Karpik, Henry, Henry Karpik's, Vicky Antzoulatos, Karpik's, Karpik didn’t, Antzoulatos, Lewis Jackson, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Princess Cruises, REUTERS, Rights, Federal, Shine Lawyers, Carnival, Carnival Australia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manila Bay, Cavite city, Philippines, Carnival Australia, Sydney, New Zealand, New South Wales