Cruise ship Grand Princess carries 21 COVID-19 positive passengers

Photo Courtesy: Kate Munsch/Reuters

In a cruise ship that docked today at Oakland, a total of 21 passengers and crew on-board tested positive of the virus.

The vessel carrying 3,533 people from 54 countries has stayed off the coast of San Francisco starting on Wednesday, March 4, for 5 days after three passengers confirmed positive of the virus.

"I have received some very strong assurances that this operation will employ the best isolation practices known, that the operation will be conducted in a manner that minimizes the time for the Grand Princess to be at Oakland," Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a press briefing on Sunday.

"No one will be quarantined in Oakland or released to our community." he added

One of the patients aboard the ship was confirmed dead by the state and became the first casualty of the virus in California.