OAKLAND, Calif. — The Grand Princess cruise ship carrying 21 passengers infected with Coronavirus docked at the Port of Oakland on Monday, but many passengers are still waiting to be released as of Tuesday morning.
Thousands of passengers aboard a cruise ship struck by the coronavirus are anxiously awaiting their turn to leave the vessel, even if means being shipped to military bases for weeks of quarantine. After days of being forced to idle off the Northern California coast, several hundred were released from the ship, including some requiring hospital care and a group of Canadians who were flying home.
Some Californians were bused to nearby Travis Air Force Base. But about 2,000 people still await their chance to disembark. Crews spent most of Sunday night and early Monday morning sealing an 11-acre site near the empty Oakland dock with fences. All access streets to the dock were closed and are expected to remain closed all day.
The ship is carrying more than 3,500 passengers from 54 countries. Of the passengers aboard, 938 are from California. From those numbers, at least 21 people are known to have tested positive for coronavirus, according to ABC7 in the Bay Area.
Americans will be transported to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia to be tested for the virus and quarantined. About 1,100 crew members will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, which will dock elsewhere.
Grand Princess cruise ship passenger information:
The California Office of Emergency Services released a statement Sunday morning detailing the next steps:
- Passengers will begin disembarking as early as Monday, March 9, but it's unclear what time that will begin.
- Passengers who need medical treatment will be taken to "health care facilities" in California. Crew members who test positive will stay aboard the ship for treatment.
- Passengers who test negative for coronavirus will be quarantined.
- No passengers will be released into the general public.
- Nearly 1,000 California residents will complete the mandatory quarantine at Travis Air Force Base north of San Francisco and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego.
- Residents of other states will complete the mandatory quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia.
- The ship will leave with its crew as soon as the passengers disembark.
- REFUND OFFERED: Grand Princess, Princess Cruises shared an update Monday, saying that all guests will receive a full refund on the cruise fare, "including air travel, hotel, ground transportation, pre-paid shore excursions, gratuities and other items (exclusion jewelry and fine art)." The company went on to say that in addition, "guests will not be charged for any onboard incidental charges during the additional time onboard." Princess Cruises will also provide guests with a future cruise credit equal to the cruise fare paid for the voyage.
WHY OAKLAND:
- The Port of Oakland was the easiest to seal off and securely move the passengers to their quarantined locations, according to the statement.
- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf: "I appreciate Governor Newsom's leadership and have been assured no one will be quarantined in Oakland, nor will any passengers be released into the general public. True to our community values, Oakland is a safe harbor for all."
RELATED:
During a press conference Sunday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state currently has the capacity to test nearly 8,000 individuals, in 15 labs across California.
"Quest, our partners, has the ability to test roughly 2,000 individuals each and every day," Newsom said. "So the testing protocols...more people are tested, more people are tested positive, so you should see that number increase. It's exactly what you should expect."
CORONAVIRUS BACKGROUND:
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
The CDC also says face masks should only be used by people who show symptoms of the virus. If you’re not sick, you do not have to wear a face mask. The CDC says the immediate risk to the U.S. public is low.
RELATED:
- Elk Grove Unified School District closes schools until March 13 over coronavirus
- Coronavirus Updates: Today's new information
- Coronavirus Resources: A guide to help you and your family
- While Grand Princess cruise guests await test results, former passengers are waiting to be tested
- Coronavirus vaccine ready for clinical trials in Seattle
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