Quarantined Grand Princess Cruise Ship Docks In Oakland, California
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The first COVID-19 case in Minnesota was reported Friday. That person, who lives in Ramsey County and is now resting at home, caught the virus on a cruise ship called the Grand Princess.
That same ship, with new passengers, is now quarantined at sea with numerous COVID-19 cases. On Monday afternoon, the ship arrived at the Port of Oakland, where crews have been preparing to take on the passengers, including more than 40 people from Minnesota.
Officials had to pick a port that was isolated, yet accessible to charter flights so that passengers from other states and countries can leave without going into the communities. So, they prepared and secured a 10-acre site at the Port of Oakland.
It's expected to take two to three days to get everyone off the ship.
The first to exit the ship will be the 21 people who tested positive for COVID-19, and those who are showing symptoms.
WCCO spoke with two passengers from Forest Lake, Minnesota, who will be the last group off the ship. They said they're trying to make the most of a tough situation.
"Well, we're staying positive. To a certain extent, it's an adventure," Randy Elkin, of Forest Lake, said.
For Randy and Kathleen, the cruise was supposed to be a trip celebrating 20 years together.
The Department of Defense will screen all 2,400 passengers as soon as the ship docks. Then, people from out of state, including the dozens of Minnesotans, will fly to a military base either in Texas or Georgia, where they'll spend two weeks in quarantine.
In Minnesota, a second case of COVID-19 – also known as coronavirus – was discovered over the weekend. It involves a person in their 50s in Carver County. They are now recovering at home and health officials are trying to find out who they had contact with.
