21 Passengers On Cruise Ship Carrying 3500 Aboard Tests COVID Positive

Of the 46 passengers that were tested for coronavirus on a cruise ship that has been quarantined off the US coast, 21 passengers have tested positive.

Vice president Mike pence confirmed the news on Friday and has raised fears that the virus could be spreading widely among over 3,500 people aboard the Grand Princess.

The ship was heading from Hawaii to San Francisco when it was ordered on Wednesday to keep its distance from shore so 46 people with possible coronavirus symptoms could be tested.

The vice president said authorities plan to bring the cruise ship to a “non-commercial port” over the weekend where all passengers and crew will be tested for the disease and quarantined as necessary.

“We are instituting the strongest testing protocols to ensure that not only those on board receive the treatment that they need, but that the American people can be confident there will be no erosion in our preventative efforts to keep the coronavirus from spreading throughout our country,” Pence said.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 100,000 people and killed over 3,400, the vast majority of them in China. Most cases have been mild, and more than half of those infected have recovered.