Cruise passenger from Riverside County infected with Coronavirus, treated in Northern CA
A cruise ship passenger from Riverside County has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a release from the Riverside University Health System.
The resident, who has not been identified, is being treated and housed in Northern California. There are still no Coronavirus exposures confirmed within the county itself.
The person was a passenger on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The ship was quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, not far from Tokyo. Four passengers on the ship died after being infected with Coronavirus.
The Riverside County resident, however, is listed in good condition and is expected to fully recover, according to RUHS.
"This individual is being closely monitored and all early indications are that there are no exposures in Riverside County," Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer said via news release. "There continue to be no locally acquired confirmed cases of coronavirus."
The 14-day cruise started last month with 2,600 passengers. According to the last update issued by the cruise line's website, the quarantine was ended and disembarkment was underway as of February 20.
The Diamond Princess February 20 update, in full:
Approximately six hundred guests onboard Diamond Princess were the first to be cleared by the Japanese Ministry of Health and released to disembark the ship yesterday.
These guests — all being cleared after a COVID-19 test by the Japanese Ministry of Health — were met in the Yokohama cruise terminal by Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises.
Several hundred other guests are expected to be cleared today by health officials.
No further updates have been issued by the cruise line.
Tonight at 6 p.m., experts from the county health department and Loma Linda University Health will discuss what they know about the coronavirus and how to prepare for possible spread.
News Channel 3's Jake Ingrassia will be in attendance and will have full details on the panel tonight at 10 p.m. on Fox and 11 p.m. on News Channel 3.
