A cruise ship worker cleans a railing on the Grand Princess off the California coast. Scrambling to keep the coronavirus at bay, officials ordered a cruise ship with about 3,500 people aboard to stay back from the California coast until passengers and crew can be tested.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak in several countries, 21 passengers onboard a cruise ship off the California coast have tested positive for the deadly virus that also include 19 crew members, US Vice President Mike Pence informed on Friday. Reports say that there is evidence that the cruise ship had 10 Coronavirus positive cases in its previous journey.
Briefing on the situation, Mike Pense said, "Federal officials have been working with California authorities and “we have developed a plan to bring the ship to a non-commercial port. All passengers and crew will be tested for the virus. Those that will need to be quarantined will be quarantined. Those who will require medical help will receive it."
46 of 3,500 test Coronavirus positive in first test
Pence said 46 of the more than 3,500 people on board were tested in the first round. A military helicopter crew lowered test kits onto the 951-foot (290-meter) Grand Princess by rope Thursday and later retrieved them for analysis as the vessel waited off San Francisco, under orders to keep its distance from shore.
Health officials trying to establish whether the virus is circulating on the Grand Princess undertook the testing after reporting that a passenger on a previous voyage of the ship, in February, died of the disease.
In the past few days, health authorities disclosed that at least 10 other people who were on the same journey also were found to be infected. And some passengers on that trip stayed aboard for the current voyage.
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