Another Cruise Affected By COVID: 27 People Test Positive For Virus On Carnival Cruise Ship

As many as 27 people onboard a Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) ship were infected with COVID-19 as they arrived in Belize.

The Carnival Vista ship was carrying 2,895 passengers and 1,441 crewmembers. Those who tested positive for the virus included 26 crewmembers and one passenger.

The ship disembarked from Galveston, Texas, on Aug. 7, according to USA Today.

According to an announcement by the Belize Tourism Board, 99.98% of the crew were vaccinated on the ship, and 96.5% of passengers were vaccinated.

The crewmembers who tested positive were in isolation. Most of the infected persons were asymptomatic or having “very mild symptoms,” the tourism board said.

Tracing had been performed on the ship, including more than 400 COVID tests completed on Aug. 7, more than 300 virus tests conducted on Tuesday, and more than 200 tests given on Wednesday. The tourism board also said no additional positive cases of the virus were identified.

Following the positive cases of the virus among the 26 crewmembers and one passenger, additional coronavirus safety measures were implemented, including increased mask-wearing indoors, use of N95 masks for the crew, social areas were closed for crewmembers, and a negative rapid COVID test will be required by all passengers for departure from the ship regardless of vaccination status.

Officials from the Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness determined that “passengers will be allowed to disembark in Belize and conduct shore excursions as per normal.”

In a statement, the Belize Tourism Board said, “The safety of guests, crew and frontline tourism workers is the highest priority for cruise lines and destinations. The ability to manage and control health-related matters, COVID-19 in particular, is fundamental to the operations of all involved.

“Cruise lines have been sailing globally throughout the pandemic, and in July, resumed sailing in the Western Caribbean and Belize. The lines have maintained an exceptional safety record, and with the extensive protocols in place, it is arguably one of the safest ways to travel today, amidst the pandemic.”

The news of the COVID-19 cases comes as Carnival Cruise Line announced that it would begin requiring all passengers to wear face masks in indoor areas, starting on Aug. 7. In addition, it added a requirement for all passengers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding its ships, regardless of vaccination status, starting Saturday.

But this isn’t the first time that a cruise ship has been hit with positive COVID cases since resuming sailing after temporarily suspending operations back in March 2020 to prevent the spread of the virus.

In late July, Celebrity Cruise airlifted a fully vaccinated passenger home after testing positive for the virus on its Millennium ship, while in late June, a Royal Caribbean cruise reported that two minors tested positive for COVID on a sailing to The Bahamas.

Another two fully vaccinated passengers also tested positive for the virus on a Royal Caribbean cruise to St. Maarten in mid-June and were isolated on the ship.

As of Friday premarket hours, shares of Carnival Cruise Line were trading at $23.25, down 11 cents, or 0.47%.