Story at a glance:
- A cruise ship carrying 27 Chinese nationals has been screened for possible cases of the coronavirus.
- The passengers have reportedly spent time in mainland China, though only four are in the hospital.
- No positive test results have been disclosed.
A cruise ship that docked in New Jersey earlier today carrying at least 27 Chinese nationals who will be quarantined in a hospital upon arrival, local NBC News reports.
The cruise left Bayonne, N.J., on Jan. 27.
The passengers reportedly returned from mainland China — the current hotbed of the Wuhan coronavirus — and were screened for the new virus when they arrived. The cruise line, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, reported one passenger who thought they had a fever on the ship. The fever went away after administering Tylenol.
Three other passengers are “under close observation for their health” at the University Hospital in Newark. The hospital is said to have negative-pressure isolation rooms suitable for handling quarantine.
So far, the majority of passengers who recently traveled to the Chinese mainland, 23 out of the 27 Chinese nationals, do not appear to have the coronavirus. They will reportedly be escorted to the Newark airport for a return flight to China.
Melissa Charbonneau, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean, told NBC News that the company is actively working on “elevated levels of guest screening to check the spread of coronavirus.”
Charbonneau told reporters that the company is “closely monitoring developments regarding coronavirus and have rigorous medical protocols in place onboard our ships. We continue to work in close consultation with the CDC, the WHO, and local health authorities to align with their guidance and ensure the health and wellbeing of our guests and crew.”
This comes as the 12th case of the coronavirus has been confirmed in the U.S., with the majority being in California. The latest confirmed case was in Wisconsin.
New York and New Jersey do not have any active or confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
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