A Regal Princess cruise liner with thousands of passengers was cleared to dock in Port Everglades, Fla., after it was held off Florida’s coast for almost an entire day as officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested two crew members for coronavirus, reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
The CDC gave the all-clear around 6:30 p.m. ET. The crew members came from the same ship in California that had 21 passengers and crew members test positive for the virus.
"The samples were collected and brought ashore earlier today. The test is carried out at a state health department lab," Port Everglades acting director Glenn Wiltshire told the newspaper.
"The turnaround times are usually 24 to 48 hours," he added. "But they recognize the urgency of turning these tests around and doing them as fast as they can."
Tim Stringer, the ship’s captain, apologized to passengers in a statement obtained by the Sun-Sentinel.
"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your understanding and patience given the circumstances," he wrote. "My officers and crew look forward to serving you for the remainder of our time together, and wish you safe homeward travels."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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