The US Department of Foreign Affairs sent a warning on Sunday Encourage American citizens “especially travelers with underlying health problems” not to travel by cruise ship due to the risk of coronavirus infection. The warning comes when 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California have tested positive for the corona virus, according to the New York Times.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warning says that many countries have established strict screening protocols that have refused access to ships and prevented passengers from getting out, all to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus disease. to control.
“Although the US government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for US citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities,” the warning explains.
The Grand Princess cruise ship will dock at the port of Oakland, California on Monday, Bloomberg reports. Trump administration officials have said that passengers will be quarantined and that those who are sick will receive medical care at local hospitals.
President Trump said Friday he would prefer that the passengers stay on board the ship. “I don’t have to double the number because of a ship that was not our fault,” the president told reporters at a press conference at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.