U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced on Friday that 21 people onboard the stranded Grand Princess cruise ship have tested positive of the novel coronavirus, causing a stir among passengers waiting for updates on what happens next to the ship in limbo.
21 Confirmed CoVID-19 Cases, Mostly Crew Members
According to CNN, 19 of the patients were crew members and only two were passengers. One of the passengers told the outlet that she found out about the infections when she watched Pence's briefing on MSNBC.
"The fact that we weren't told first made us quite upset and angry," Debbi Loftus said, adding that they thought passengers would be the first to know about the situation.
A video from one of the ship's passengers revealed that an apology was made to those on board regarding the news being discovered by passengers only through Pence's announcement.
Locations of Sick Passengers Unclear
During the briefing about the new CoVID-19 cases on the Grand Princess, Pence noted that passengers or crew who need to undergo quarantine will be required to do so. Medical monitoring or treatment will also be necessary for those who show symptoms.
According to The Guardian, there is not much known about where coronavirus-infected passengers will be taken. While military bases have been used in the past in such cases, the White House has yet to announce where the infected patients will be brought.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised about a particular Grand Princess passenger who has stage 4 cancer. It remains to be seen whether the said passenger will be transported out of the ship or will undergo tests onboard.
Trump Reportedly Wants Passengers and Crew Members to Stay Onboard
Despite the confirmation that 21 of the 46 people tested for coronavirus were infected, U.S. President was quoted to have said during a tour at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that he wants passengers and crew members to stay on the ship.
"I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault," Trump was quoted to have said. He added that Pence and other health experts whom he spoke with regarding the CoVID-19 situation said they would like to get passengers and crew out of the Grand Princess.
Trump's statements were similar to what transpired with the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked at the Yokohama port in Japan. The Japanese government has been criticized or its alleged failure in containing the disease due to its move of keeping people onboard.
All Passengers and Crew to be Tested
Assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert Kadlec revealed that everyone on board the Grand Princess will be tested for potential coronavirus infection.
Kadlec also explained that in terms of the crew members, the HHS is leaning on getting them quarantined on the cruise ship and will not be required to disembark. The same method was used with the doomed Diamond Princess.
Pence said the White House will cooperate with involved agencies and groups to ensure that screening is fortified for passengers and crew who will have to stay onboard and those who will be required to disembark.
