Coronavirus hit ship to dock in California
A cruise ship hit by the new coronavirus is heading for a port in California, the captain has told passengers, although they are destined to stay on board for at least another day.
A cruise ship hit by the new coronavirus is heading for a port in California, the captain has told passengers, although they are destined to stay on board for at least another day.
Captain John Smith, in a recording provided by passenger Laurie Miller of San Jose, told guests that the Grand Princess will dock in Oakland.
Owner Princess Cruises said the ship, which is carrying more than 3,500 people - including around 140 Britons - is expected to arrive on Monday.
"An agreement has been reached to bring our ship into the port of Oakland," Capt Smith told passengers on Saturday night. "After docking, we will then begin a disembarkation process specified by federal authorities that will take several days."
He said passengers who need medical treatment or to be admitted to hospital will go to healthcare facilities in California, while state residents who do not require acute medical care "will go to a federally operated isolation facility within California for testing and isolation".
American guests from other states will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Crew members will be quarantined and treated on board the ship.
Capt Smith said the information he was given did not include any details about what would happen to passengers from other countries.
"We are working to obtain more details overnight ... I'm sorry I can't provide you more details right now," he said.
The Grand Princess had been forbidden to dock in San Francisco amid evidence that the vessel was the breeding ground for a cluster of nearly 20 cases of Covid-19 that had resulted in at least one death after a previous voyage.
Published: by Radio NewsHub