An American couple that criticised Cambodian quarantine methods was tested positive for Covid-19, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday.

He said the couple, who were among the passengers of the Viking Cruise Journey which is quarantined in Kampong Cham, is among four people who were confirmed to have the coronavirus on Tuesday.

“Now, besides the three people who contracted the virus [when the ship docked] and another passenger who has since recovered, we have found the latest four virus-infected passengers.

“Among them are two Americans who said we put them up at a hotel with [house] lizards in their room. They are rich and they wanted to stay at a 5-star hotel. If we had followed what they wanted, that 5-star hotel may be now destroyed,” he said.

On Monday last week, the American couple Ryan Knapp and Theresa Gordon said the quarantine they were undergoing in Kampong Cham was akin to being detained. They said their hotel had lizards and leaking toilets, according to USA Today.

Kampong Cham provincial governor Un Chanda declined to reveal the identities of the American couple that tested positive while Kampong Cham provincial health department director Kim Sourphirun also declined to confirm their identities.

However, he said 53 other passengers from the Viking Cruise Journey have tested negative for Covid-19 and had returned to their ship. However, the ship is still in the Kingdom’s territory pending a decision on where it will go next.