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Nearly 200 passengers and crew aboard the Zaandam cruise ship are reporting “influenza-like illness symptoms” as the ship makes its way toward Florida, Holland America Line confirmed late on Sunday.
The cruise line made the announcement only a day after the Zaandam and another Holland America ship were granted passage through the Panama Canal, and two days after four “older” passengers passed away aboard the Zaandam. Holland America did not say what the guests died of, although they did report at least two of the ill guests tested positive for COVID-19.
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In total, Holland America said 189 guests and crew (73 passengers and 116 employees, respectively) were feeling ill as of Sunday night. Two days prior, that number was 138.
Holland America had previously deployed another of its ships, the Rotterdam, to rendezvous with the Zaandam to provide medical supplies and relief for the Zaandam crew. Earlier on Sunday, the Zaandam also transferred healthy guests to the Rotterdam to “balance the workload between the two ships,” and now both are traveling together toward Florida.
The Zaandam cruise ship, left, us carrying 189 guests and crew (73 and 116, respectively) who reported feeling ill, Holland America said in an update on Sunday night. The cruise line dispatched another of its ships, the Rotterdam, to rendezvous with the Zaandam to transfer supplies, COVID-19 tests and medical personnel. Healthy guests were also transferred to the Rotterdam on Sunday. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Passengers aboard both ships are now isolated in their cabins until disembarkation, Holland America says.
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It is currently unclear whether the Zaandam and Rotterdam will be able to dock or disembark in Florida.
On Monday morning, Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine had said the ships already completed passage through the Panama Canal, but claimed the U.S. Coast Guard had not yet granted permission for the ships “to enter U.S. waters until a plan is submitted and approved,” according to a tweet from Udine. A representative for the Coast Guard was not immediately available to confirm.
The Zaandam originally departed from Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7, for a 14-day cruise of South America, with plans to disembark in San Antonio, Chile, on March 21. By March 13, however, Holland America announced it would temporarily be suspending all sailings for at least 30 days, and ending its current cruises in progress "as quickly as possible.” Holland America said the ship was first cleared to dock and disembark passengers in Punta Arenas, Chile, but was ultimately “not permitted to do so.” The Zaandam instead docked in Valparaiso, Chile, but only for supplies and medicine.
Passengers are pictured aboard the Zaandam while the ship was anchored in the bay of Panama City, on March 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)
Holland America then deployed the Rotterdam liner to rendezvous with the Zaandam to provide extra supplies, staff, COVID-19 test kids and other support as needed. The two ships made the rendezvous on March 26, and medical supplies and staff were transported to the Zaandam.
Following the transfer of healthy guests to the Rotterdam, there are now 446 guests and 602 crew on the Zaandam, and 797 guests and 645 crew on the Rotterdam.
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Holland America, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruises, had originally announced the temporary suspension of all sailings on March 13. Cruises that departed before that time were to head to ports to allow guests to disembark and return home, a Carnival spokesperson said last week.
Both the CDC and the U.S. State Department have advised that Americans avoid traveling by cruise ship.