Haven Orecchio-Egresitz/Business Insider
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Passengers on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked in Bayonne, New Jersey, are being tested for coronavirus.
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Twenty-seven Chinese nationals were traveling on the Anthem of the Seas. Four of them have been taken to a Newark hospital while the others will be put on a flight back to China, NBC New York said.
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The ship is returning from the Bahamas and some travelers have complained of pulmonary issues.
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Royal Caribbean released a statement on Friday, saying that it is “participating in elevated levels of guest screening.”
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Passengers onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked in Bayonne, New Jersey, are being tested for coronavirus, officials say.
The Anthem of the Seas departed from Bayonne on January 27 and headed to the Bahamas, before returning on Friday.
More than two dozen Chinese nationals were on board the ship, NBC New York. reported. Four of them were taken to University Hospital in Newark because it has has negative-pressure isolation rooms, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis told the news outlet. One person developed a fever on the trip, but it went away with some fever. The other three are being closely monitored.
No one has tested positive for coronavirus, but the CDC and local health officials took 23 other people from China off the ship. They will be transported to Newark Liberty International Airport and sent back to China.
None of the 27 Chinese nationals hail from Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated, Davis said to NBC. They also haven’t traveled there since December 31, when the first case was reported.
Davis also said on Twitter that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers this a “Below Low Risk” situation.
Some travelers have complained of pulmonary issues, the New York Post reported.
The coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China, and has, as of Friday, affected over 31,000 people worldwide and killed over 630.
Royal Caribbean officials released a statement on Friday, saying that they are “participating in elevated levels of guest screening” to help control the virus, the Post said.
“We are closely monitoring developments regarding coronavirus and have rigorous medical protocols in place onboard our ships,” spokeswoman Melissa Charbonneau explained. “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.”
People who have spent the past 12 days traveling to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Kitts and Antigua told CNN that they were in the dark about the brewing situation because the crew hadn’t made any announcements about the CDC’s measures.
“We had no idea till we saw on TV in [the] cabin this morning,” Don Silberman said.
Some echoed the sentiment to Insider, noting their disappointment about the lack of transparency. Others, like Rosemary Woronowicz weren’t bothered by the nearly hour-long delay disembarking from the ship. She had a great time with her husband, saying, “If you want to travel, that’s the chance you take.”
New Jersey resident Suzanne Poirier said she was “curious, not concerned” when she noticed the large group of Chinese people. It wasn’t until she looked out of a window and spotted news crews at the port that she knew something was going on. “Surprisingly, people were not panicked,” Poirier said.
People who are expected to travel on Royal Caribbean cruises in upcoming days received a statement on Thursday, informing them of changes to check-in times to ensure that people don’t waste time “standing and waiting around.”
“Before you board, we’ll be conducting enhanced sanitation in the cruise terminal and onboard, as part of our ongoing illness prevention efforts,” the statement said in part.
As of Thursday, New York City had no confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
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