Twenty-Seven Vaccinated People on Cruise Test Positive for Coronavirus

Twenty-seven individuals aboard a Carnival cruise have tested positive for the coronavirus prior to the ship making a stop in Belize City, the Belize Tourism Board said.

The positive cases were found in 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista carrying more than 1,400 crew and almost 3,000 passengers, the Associated Press (AP) reported Friday.

“The ship arrived Wednesday in Belize City,” the outlet said.

“All 27 were vaccinated, had mild or no symptoms, and were in isolation,” the report continued. “The tourism board said 99.98% of the ship’s crew was vaccinated, as well as 96.5% of its passengers.”

In its press release, the tourism board noted the team at Carnival said positive cases were isolated and contact tracing resulted in no additional positive cases being found, adding the infected crew and passenger did not pose a threat to guests, crews, or frontline workers living in Belize.

“After a thorough review of the situation, and after determining that the risk is low, including the fact that CDC is aware of the situation, it was concluded that the situation is contained, and safety protocols are proving effective,” the release stated.

According to the AP report, Carnival is requiring its passengers to be vaccinated, but there are exceptions for children and individuals with medical concerns:

The cruise line said in a statement Aug. 4 that passengers must wear a mask in certain indoor areas, and provide a negative COVID test within three days of embarkment for cruises beginning Aug. 14. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website that it had investigated the Carnival Vista and the ship remains under observation.

Carnival’s COVID-19 Guest Protocols webpage said it was updating its protocols and requirements “regarding pre-cruise testing for fully vaccinated guests and our onboard mask policy.”

“We expect these measures will be temporary and will adjust our protocols based on the advice of our medical and public health advisors,” the site concluded.