21 people aboard Grand Princess cruise ship have tested positive for coronavirus
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The Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been held off the coast of Northern California since Thursday because of a coronavirus outbreak on board, will dock at the Port of Oakland on Monday, Princess Cruises confirmed late Saturday.
As of Friday, 19 crew members and two passengers had tested positive for COVID-19 and those who need "acute" medical treatment or hospitalization will be transported to medical facilities in the state, the company said in a statement.
Only 45 of the ship’s passengers have been tested for the virus, meaning the other nearly 3,500 aboard will need to be tested and quarantined once the ship docks.
GRAND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP REPORTS 'FEWER THAN 100' PEOPLE IDENTIFIED FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTING
“Following health screenings, guests who are California residents will go to a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship,” the statement said.
Americans removed from the Diamond Princess cruise ship held off the coast of Japan last month were quarantined for two weeks at military bases in California and Texas.
The Grand Princess canceled its final stop in Mexico en route to San Francisco from Hawaii last week after officials learned a man who had been on the ship last month contracted the virus and died this week, The Mercury News of San Jose reported.
Passengers have been on the ship since Feb. 21 when they left California for Hawaii.
Princess Cruises’ chief medical officer Dr. Grant Tarling said the company believes the man, who didn’t have any symptoms until he was on board, contracted the virus in California before he boarded, according to The Mercury News.
By Friday, at least 69 people in California had tested positive for the virus and one person had died.
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Two patients in Florida and 16 in Washington state have also died.