27 people aboard Carnival cruise ship test positive for coronavirus
Twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for the coronavirus just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week, according to the Belize Tourism Board.
The positive cases were detected among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which is carrying more than 1,400 crew and nearly 3,000 passengers, the board said in a statement. The ship arrived Wednesday in Belize City.
All 27 people had been vaccinated, exhibited mild or no symptoms and were in isolation, according to the statement. The tourism board said 99.98% of the ship’s crew was vaccinated, as well as 96.5% of its passengers.
The Washington Post reported that Carnival said it announced last week that there were positive cases on board, but the cruise line did not give specific numbers. The ship left from Galveston, Texas, according to the Post.
The Grand Princess cruise ship floated off the California coast for days while officials wrestled with the emerging coronavirus outbreak. Here’s what it was like on board.
Carnival is requiring passengers to be vaccinated, though there are exceptions for children and people with medical issues. The cruise line said in a statement Aug. 4 that passengers must wear a mask in certain indoor areas and, starting from Saturday, provide a negative coronavirus test within three days of embarking.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that it had investigated the Carnival Vista and that the ship remained under observation.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
