Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises Testing Passengers For Coronavirus
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Princess Cruises ship is under a 14-day quarantine after 61 passengers tested positive for the coronavirus.
At least 11 of the patients are Americans. They were seen being escorted off the ship under heavy quarantine.
About 3,700 people are confined aboard the Diamond Princess which is docked in Yokohama Port.
Princess Cruises is owned by Miami based Carnival Corporation & plc.
In a series of tweets, the cruise line said they are doing what they can to help those aboard the ship.
Doral based Royal Caribbean put out a statement saying they are "closely monitoring coronavirus developments."
"Like airlines, we are participating in elevated levels of guest screening to check the spread of coronavirus. We are closely monitoring developments regarding coronavirus and have rigorous medical protocols in place onboard our ships," the cruise line said in a statement." We continue to work in close consultation with the CDC, the WHO, and local health authorities to align with their guidance and ensure the health and wellbeing of our guests and crew."
More than twenty Chinese nationals aboard the Anthem of the Seas, docked in Bayonne, New Jersey, are being tested for the Coronavirus by officials from the Center for Disease Control and other agencies.
One passenger, a Chinese citizen with permanent residency in the United Kingdom, said he was put in isolation with other passengers on the basis of citizenship though he says he had not visited China in three years.
"It actually put me at risk because I haven't been to China in the last month, and if some passenger has been to China, they may infect me as well. I just feel a little bit at risk," said Jim Yan.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey emphasizes that they have not shown any symptoms. The testing is being done out of an abundance of caution.
There have been no reported cases of the Coronavirus aboard the Anthem of the Seas at this time.
The Royal Caribbean ship traveled from the Caribbean and docked around 6 a.m. Friday.
There are now more than 30,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, and the death toll in China is at least 600.
One of the first doctors to sound the alarm about the virus has died of the illness. Dr. Li Wenliang, 34, was allegedly threatened by the government after voicing his concerns.
