Two passengers tested positive for the CCP virus on the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship at the end of the trip, which the cruise line said was carrying “at least 95 percent vaccinated guests.”
The trip marked the first cruise in North America since 2020. The two passengers were sharing a stateroom onboard the ship and tested positive at the required end-of-cruise testing, according to the cruise line. The test is completed 72 hours before returning to the United States.
“The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team. We are conducting contact tracing, expediting testing for all close contacts and closely monitoring the situation,” the announcement read.
All passengers were required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, within 72 hours before sailing, according to the cruise line, which said that its protocols exceed the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A press release from the company said it was carrying “at least 95 percent vaccinated guests.”
The vaccination status of the two passengers who tested positive is unclear. According to cruzely.com, the ship carried a total of just under 600 people.
The ship had set off from the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on June 5.
“This situation demonstrates that our rigorous health and safety protocols work to protect our crew, guests, and the communities we visit,” the company said.
The ship is currently docked in Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island, and the two passengers who tested positive will stay on board in isolation, after which the ship will return to St. Maarten this Saturday to disembark, a spokesperson for Celebrity told USA Today.
The two passengers will stay in St. Maarten until they test negative, after which the company will help arrange for them to travel home, a spokesperson for Celebrity told ABC News.
The CDC refers to COVID-19 cases that occur after a person is fully vaccinated as vaccine breakthrough cases.
“Vaccine breakthrough cases are expected,” the health agency said on its website. “COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control. However, no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness. There will be a small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated who still get sick, are hospitalized, or die from COVID-19.”
It added, “There is some evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe.”
More than 141 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, amounting to about 42.6 percent of the population.
President Joe Biden wants 70 percent of adults to have been given one dose of a vaccine by July 4, having announced a slew of incentives and initiatives to encourage Americans to get the jab.
