Passengers on coronavirus-hit cruise ships ask to dock in Florida: ‘Struggling’ with fever
Maximilian Jo tells ‘America’s Newsroom’ his parents have been stuck on the Zaandam cruise ship for nearly a month, waiting to dock in Florida.
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The son of a couple stuck on the Zaandam cruise ship, which is currently at sea with at least 189 passengers and crew experiencing flu-like symptoms, said on “America’s Newsroom” on Wednesday that it’s “really heartbreaking" that passengers can't get the help they need.
When asked how is parents are doing, Maximilian Jo said: “They're hanging in there.”
“They've been stuck on this ship out at sea for close to a month,” he continued. “My father has been running a fever for a number of days and he can't eat as a result, so he’s struggling, but surviving.”
Jo added that “Everybody is struggling on that ship and we just got to get them to shore as soon as possible.”
The president of the Holland America Line is pleading for compassion after several countries had denied docking to its Zaandam cruise ship. Four older guests on the Zaandam had also passed away aboard the same ship last week. Two of the four deaths on board the ill-fated South American cruise ship have been blamed on COVID-19 and nine people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the company said.
Orlando Ashford, the president of Holland America Line, made the plea in an op-ed published Monday in the Sun-Sentinel, adding that these nations have “turned their backs” on the thousands of guests still currently on cruise ships, looking to get home.
Ashford’s comments come as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has actively tried to get the ships diverted away from the state, arguing that Florida’s hospitals cannot handle any more COVID-19 patients.
“We cannot afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources,” DeSantis told Fox News. “We view this as a big big problem, and we do not want to see people dumped in Southern Florida right now.”
On Monday, the Zaandam and another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam, had passed through the Panama Canal heading toward Fort Lauderdale, Fla., although the ships, carrying more than 300 U.S. citizens combined, have not been given formal clearance to dock in Florida, The Associated Press reported. The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that the decision would be punted to Washington if authorities can’t agree.
During a news conference on Tuesday, DeSantis said he had been in contact with the White House about getting medical supplies to the ships.
“Just to drop people off at the place where we’re having the highest number of cases right now just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” DeSantis said.
President Trump said Tuesday that he would speak to the Florida governor about the ships.
“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said. “I’m going to do what’s right. Not only for us, but for humanity.”
In a new development, during a news conference on Wednesday, DeSantis said the roughly 50 Floridians on those ships will be allowed to enter the state.
When asked what communication his parents had received about what will happen next for them, Jo said: “Just last night the captains on both ships made an announcement that sounded optimistic about them going home.”
“There were no specifics about it because I believe the plans are still coming together,” he continued.
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He added that he is “very encouraged to hear” that the ships are on President Trump’s agenda and that “he recognizes the gravity of this humanitarian crisis and that he’s looking out for the lives on the ship.”
Jo went on to say that “there is still a lot of work to do.”
He said Wednesday “is a critical day.”
“The plans are not finalized. We haven't gotten official approval to enter the port and for what I understand there is still resistance from Governor DeSantis, so still major concerns,” he continued.
The Zaandam originally departed from Buenos Aires on March 7, one day before the U.S. State Department advised to avoid cruise travel and before any substantial restrictions were in place in Florida.
The ship had been scheduled to stop in San Antonio, Chile, and then depart on another 20-day cruise to arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in April, however, beginning March 15, the Zaandam was denied entry at every port.
When host Sandra Smith asked Jo what medical attention his father is able to receive on the ship he said, “that's really the concerning part.”
“To manage his fever he had been getting a steady supply of Tylenol, but as the days have worn [sic] on, just a few days ago even, getting that was a struggle,” he continued. “Eventually, after all three of his kids were calling the passenger hotline for hours they finally got to him at night and then a doctor checked on him and quite honestly my dad understood.”
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“The doctor said he saw 168 passengers that day and the day wasn't even done yet,” he continued. “There is [sic] too many sick people on that ship.”
Fox News’ Michael Bartiromo, Phil Keating and The Associated Press contributed to this report.