Dozens of passengers on cruise ship linked to coronavirus to be quarantined in Georgia
Dozens of cruise ship passengers who may have been exposed to coronavirus are set to come to Georgia, officials say.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced the passengers will be transported to Dobbins Air Reserve Base late Monday or early Tuesday. They are set to be tested and “quarantined for possible exposure to COVID-19,” according to a series of Twitter posts on Sunday.
“I am confident that Dobbins is equipped to provide high-quality care for Americans in need while keeping Georgia families safe,” he wrote.
Dobbins is in Marietta, an Atlanta suburb.
Officials say the 34 Georgians and other East Coast residents were aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been linked to coronavirus.
The ship has been traveling off the California coast for days after former passengers, including one who died, tested positive for COVID-19, The Sacramento Bee reported.
After several current passengers tested positive for the disease, officials worked to find a way to get to shore, The Sacramento Bee said in another report. The ship is finally set to dock in Oakland on Monday, and more than 3,500 people who were on board will be in quarantine.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that has been spreading across the world and 19 U.S. states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, Johns Hopkins University reports 566 cases and 22 deaths. Another 110 possible cases were under investigation as of Saturday, per the CDC.
In Georgia, there are five confirmed coronavirus cases and six “presumptive positives awaiting CDC confirmation,” Kemp said Sunday.
“U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship,” the U.S. Department of State says. “CDC notes increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 9:03 AM with the headline "Dozens of passengers on cruise ship linked to coronavirus to be quarantined in Georgia."
