Cruise ship with COVID-19 infections arrives in New Orleans

THIS IS BREAKING NEWS ON WDSU. WE START TONIGHT WITH BREAKING NEWS A CRUISE SHIP BOUND FOR NEW ORLEANS AS IDENTIFIED 10 CASES OF COVID-19N O BOARD STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THIS EARLIER TONIGHT WDSU’S HARRISON. GOLDEN IS LEIV AT THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS WHERE THAT SHIP WILL DOCK TOMORROW MORNING HARRISON. WHAT’S THE LATEST ON THIS? YEAH, WE’LL SERVE IN THE 10 PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 ON BOARD THAT NORWEGNIA CRUISE LINES TRIP INCLUDE CREW MEMBERS AND PASSENGERS ALIKE AND THEY IN ABOUT 3,200 OTHER FOLKS THEY ARE SET TO ARRIVE HERE SOMETIME TOMORROW MORNING. ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT CLOSER THAN THAT AS OF LAST CHECKF O THE RADAR. THEY’RE JUST OFF THE COAST OF PORT SULFUR RIGHTOW N AGAIN, THOUGH, THE DISEMBARKING PROCESS COULD TAKE SOME TIME. SO BY THE TIME ALL SAID AND DONE RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY WILL BE GETTING HERE. PORT OF NEW ORLNSEA AT AROUND 7 O’CLOCK TOMORROW NOW WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE A FEW SPSHI IN THE NORWEGIAN FLEET. NOW WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS CALLED THE NORWEGIAN BR EAKAWAY. IT LT EFNEW ORLEANS ABOUT SIX DAYS AGO AND STOPPED IN BELIZE HONDURASND A MEXICO WITH MORE THAN 3,200 PEOPLE ON BOARD NOW THE CONDITIONS OF TSEHO WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE REMAIN ON CLEAR AT THE MOMENT NORWEGIAN HAS YET TO RESNDPO TO OUR CALLS OR EMAILS FOR COMMENT BUT STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS DO TLEL US THIS COMPANY IS ISOLATING THOSE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE. BOARD LDH ADS NORWEGIAN PLANTS TO TEST EVERYONE ON BOARD ONCE THEY DISEMBARK WHENERVE THAT IS TOMORROW MORNING. NOW THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE WILL HAVE TO SELF-OLISATE THEY SAY ALL IN LINE WITH NORWEGIANS EXISTING COVID PICIEOLS WORTH NOTE HERE. NORWEGIAN DOES NOT REQUIRE MASK WEARING ON ITS SHIPS TUGH.HO THE COMPANY DOES REQUIRE ALL PASSENGERS AND CREW TO BE VA CCINEDAT SO NEWS OF THESE 10 CASES COMES AFTER CRUISE LINES OF COURSE RESEDUM THEIR OCEAN GOING CRUISES JUST THIS PAST SEPTEMBER HOPING TO MAKE UP RFO HAS LARGELY BEEN A YEAR OF LOWE’S IN BUSINESS NOW. AGAIN HERE NO INDICATION YET OF TONIGHT’S NEWS CHANGG BINUSINESS FOR NORWEGIAN OR FOR ANY CRUISE LINES THAT FOR THAT MATTER HERE, TBU WE COULD WELL LEARN A LOT MORE NOT JUST ABOUT THIS SHIP BUT ABOUT THE CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT RIGHT NOW ONCE THAT SHIP GETS HERE TOMORROW MORNING RIGHT NOW. WE ARE LIVE AT THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS HAR

A Norwegian Cruise Lines ship that docked in New Orleans this weekend has confirmed at least 17 COVID-19 cases among crew members and passengers.The Norwegian Breakaway departed from New Orleans on Nov. 28 and stopped in Belize, Honduras and Mexico. There were more than 3,200 people onboard.State health officials say the company followed quarantine and isolation protocols throughout the trip. State health officials also said Sunday that one of the cases involves the emerging omicron variant. That case involves a crew member who did not leave the ship, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.Everyone on board was tested for COVID-19 before disembarking. Those who test positive will either travel directly to their residence or self-isolate according to current CDC guidelines. The cruise line issued the following statement:"The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our highest priority, and we will continue to take all appropriate actions to ensure their wellbeing and protect public health."We have identified a handful of COVID-19 cases among guests and crew onboard Norwegian Breakaway, which is scheduled to disembark in New Orleans, LA on December 5. All of the identified cases onboard are asymptomatic. In addition to requiring that 100% of guests and crew are fully vaccinated, per the Company’s comprehensive health and safety protocols, we have implemented quarantine, isolation and contact tracing procedures for identified cases. We are testing all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway prior to disembarkation, as well as providing post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the CDC. Any guests who have tested positive for COVID-19 will travel by personal vehicle to their personal residence or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the Company according to CDC guidelines."We take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the CDC, the office of Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Department of Health as well as the city and port of New Orleans. At this time, there have been no changes to scheduled future sailings on Norwegian Breakaway. We will provide additional updates to impacted guests as appropriate." Cruise ships were an early source of outbreaks last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic as some ships were rejected at ports and passengers were forced into quarantine. The CDC issued a no-sail order in March 2020, prompting a standstill that ended last June as cruise ships began to leave U.S. ports with new health and safety requirements.The Associated Press contributed to this report

NEW ORLEANS —

A Norwegian Cruise Lines ship that docked in New Orleans this weekend has confirmed at least 17 COVID-19 cases among crew members and passengers.

The Norwegian Breakaway departed from New Orleans on Nov. 28 and stopped in Belize, Honduras and Mexico. There were more than 3,200 people onboard.

State health officials say the company followed quarantine and isolation protocols throughout the trip. State health officials also said Sunday that one of the cases involves the emerging omicron variant. That case involves a crew member who did not leave the ship, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Everyone on board was tested for COVID-19 before disembarking. Those who test positive will either travel directly to their residence or self-isolate according to current CDC guidelines.

The cruise line issued the following statement:

"The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our highest priority, and we will continue to take all appropriate actions to ensure their wellbeing and protect public health.

"We have identified a handful of COVID-19 cases among guests and crew onboard Norwegian Breakaway, which is scheduled to disembark in New Orleans, LA on December 5. All of the identified cases onboard are asymptomatic. In addition to requiring that 100% of guests and crew are fully vaccinated, per the Company’s comprehensive health and safety protocols, we have implemented quarantine, isolation and contact tracing procedures for identified cases. We are testing all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway prior to disembarkation, as well as providing post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the CDC. Any guests who have tested positive for COVID-19 will travel by personal vehicle to their personal residence or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the Company according to CDC guidelines.

"We take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the CDC, the office of Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Department of Health as well as the city and port of New Orleans. At this time, there have been no changes to scheduled future sailings on Norwegian Breakaway. We will provide additional updates to impacted guests as appropriate."

Cruise ships were an early source of outbreaks last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic as some ships were rejected at ports and passengers were forced into quarantine. The CDC issued a no-sail order in March 2020, prompting a standstill that ended last June as cruise ships began to leave U.S. ports with new health and safety requirements.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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