Cruise Ships With Coronavirus-Positive Passengers Allowed To Dock At Florida Coast

The Holland America cruise ships Zaandam and Rotterdam were allowed to dock in Florida Thursday after several South American countries closed their ports to cruise ships. 

During the voyage, four guests died of coronavirus complications while at sea, and 250 on the ship reported flu-like symptoms, but at the time of docking, 97 percent of the guests were fit to travel.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. had to help the ships at a White House news briefing Wednesday. 

“They are in big trouble no matter where they are from,” he said “Happens to be … largely Americans, but whether they were or not, they are dying so we have to do something.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis initially expressed reluctance on Monday on Fox News to let the passengers into his state. However, he told Fox News on Thursday that Broward County, where the port was located, was working with the cruise lines and the Coast Guard in order to bring the ships in while keeping Florida residents safe.

Passengers had chartered vans and planes waiting for them over the next few days to bring them home, where they would start a 14-day quarantine.