Samples from 45 people onboard the cruise ship Grand Princess, including both guests and the crew, were collected yesterday, March 5, for coronavirus testing.
The samples were delivered to the California Department of Public Health in Richmond for processing, and the results are expected today.
As reported earlier , the ship is being held off San Francisco, California, after a passenger who returned at the end of February from a San Francisco-to-Mexico cruise on Grand Princess died from coronavirus.
Following the reported death, a cluster of individuals has been identified for testing by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These are predominantly guests and crew who were on board the ship during the ship’s previous voyage, as well as some passengers who developed symptoms linked to the virus.
As informed by the ship’s operator, there are fewer than 100 guests and crew identified for testing, including all in-transit guests .
Princess Cruises said that there are 3,533 people currently onboard Grand Princess, including 2,422 guests and 1,111 teammates. In total, they represent 54 nationalities.
The CDC is insisting that all guests stay in their staterooms while test results are pending.
Princess Cruises said that the guests are receiving their meals in their staterooms and that complimentary internet services have been provided for them to be able to communicate with their families and loved ones.
Amid the ongoing situation, Princess Cruises has canceled the Grand Princess Hawaii cruise departing on March 7. The company said that all guests would receive a full refund of their cruise fare.