27 People Aboard Almost Fully Vaccinated Cruise Ship Test Positive For COVID-19

Aboard an almost fully vaccinated Carnival cruise ship, 27 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday just before arriving in Belize City, according to the Belize Tourism Board.

While crew members are 99.8% vaccinated, 26 of the positive cases were among them, the statement said. One passenger tested positive, as well, and 96.5% of guests have received the shot.

Those who tested positive for COVID-19 will remain in isolation and have experienced mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, the board said.

“The team at Carnival noted that all positive cases have been isolated and contact tracing has ended with no additional positive cases found, and that the infected crew and passenger do not pose a threat to guests, crew or frontline workers in Belize,” the statement said.

The Carnival Vista, carrying over 1,400 crew members and almost 3,000 passengers, randomly tests the crew on a rotating basis throughout the day, a Carnival spokesperson wrote to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

“All activities on the ship are taking place and our guests have been terrific at adapting to our new protocols,” the spokesperson wrote. “Carnival is in daily contact with the CDC about the status of all our ships.”

Passengers and crew members aboard the ship are required to wear masks in certain indoor areas, and unvaccinated guests will be required to show negative tests starting Aug. 14, according to the spokesperson.

The ship continued its trip after Belize and arrived in Cozumel, Mexico, on Thursday, according to the Washington Post.