By Dennis Romero -
NBC News
A Holland America Line cruise ship returned to San Diego on Saturday after Mexican health authorities prevented guests from disembarking in Puerto Vallarta after several positive cases of COVID-19.
The health department of the Mexican state of Jalisco said
21 crew members aboard the ship tested positive
Thursday upon arrival in Puerto Vallarta.
He added that the possible exposure of passengers means that they will not be allowed to disembark.
[Churches across the country cancel their in-person Christmas services due to the increase in COVID-19 cases]
"Thanks to the tests carried out on board we have confirmed that a small number of fully vaccinated crew members on the Koningsdam tested positive for COVID-19," Holland America said in a statement.
“They are all showing little or no symptoms and are isolated.
Close contacts have been quarantined as a precaution, "he
added.
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The cruise line said the ship left Puerto Vallarta after a last-minute notification from authorities that guests would not be allowed to disembark.
The ship was expected to return to San Diego on Sunday, the cruise line said.
[From Bethlehem to New York, COVID-19 once again tarnishes Christmas around the world]
The ship has
874 crew members and 1,035 passengers
and its journey included stops in Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán, Jalisco health authorities said.
A crew member tested positive on Dec. 18 and the ship left San Diego the next day, they added.
It is unclear if that crew member was on board.
Guests must submit a
complete vaccination proof
and a negative COVID-19 test taken within two days of boarding, per cruise line health and safety guidelines.
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It is unclear how local health officials will treat the cases after the ship returns.
The county health department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Port of San Diego website does not have information on protocol for travelers in this situation.
The port resumed cruise ship departures amid a decline in the number of coronavirus cases on October 1.
[More than 3,700 flights canceled on Christmas Day due to the omicron variant of COVID-19]
The outbreak came after the Florida-based cruise ship Carnival Freedom was denied entry to Bonaire and Aruba in the wake of an undisclosed number of COVID-19 cases aboard the vessel, Carnival said in a statement. on Friday.
Passengers were required to be vaccinated and tested before departing, the cruise company said.
The ship, carrying 2,497 passengers and 1,112 crew members, was expected to return to Miami on Sunday after eight days at sea.
This is the third outbreak this week affecting cruise ships leaving from Florida.
