Quarantined cruise ship carrying 42 Minnesotans off coast of California set to dock on Monday
Grand Princess off the shore of San Francisco. March 7, 2020
(FOX 9) - A cruise ship carrying 42 people from Minnesota along with 3,500 others, that has remained offshore due to coronavirus concerns for days, is set to dock on Monday in California.
The Grand Princess cruise ship will dock at the Port of Oakland at some point on Monday, the company announced late Saturday.
The ship, which was on the second leg of a trip returning from Hawaii, has been kept in the water after 21 people aboard have tested positive for coronavirus.
Officials say the ship will dock in Oakland to allow for all passengers and staff to be tested.
Those who need medical care, which includes at least 19 crew members and two passengers who've already tested positive for the coronavirus, will be transported to medical facilities at that time.
Health screenings will take place for other passengers, who will then be moved to federal facilities for further testing. Speaking Sunday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he expected the process to clear the ship to take two to three days.
Newsom says crews are currently securing the port to allow for the ship to come in safely. It's unclear exactly when the ship will make it to shore.
The Grand Princess is currently 10 to 12 miles offshore.
Back in Minnesota, only one patient has tested positive for COVID-19.out of 49 tests. That man is a former passenger of the Grand Princess. Health officials said he was on the ship but departed after the first leg of the trip on February 21.
Sunday, the U.S. State Department warned Americans to avoid cruises for the timebeing.