NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The City of New Orleans reported that the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship set to return and disembark in New Orleans this weekend contains 10 COVID-19 cases among its crew and passengers.
The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ship set sail from New Orleans on Nov. 28 and stopped in Belize, Honduras, and Mexico with more than 3,200 people on board.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Department of Health, the Port of New Orleans, and city officials are reportedly aware of the developing situation and working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to initiate existing COVID-19 agreements and protocols with the cruise line.
Norwegian Breakaway released a statement in response:
“The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit is our highest priority, and we will continue to take all appropriate actions to ensure their wellbeing and protect public health.
We have identified a handful of COVID-19 cases among guests and crew onboard Norwegian Breakaway, which is scheduled to disembark in New Orleans, LA on December 5. All of the identified cases onboard are asymptomatic. In addition to requiring that 100% of guests and crew are fully vaccinated, per the Company’s comprehensive health and safety protocols, we have implemented quarantine, isolation and contact tracing procedures for identified cases. We are testing all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway prior to disembarkation, as well as providing post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the CDC. Any guests who have tested positive for COVID-19 will travel by personal vehicle to their personal residence or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the Company according to CDC guidelines.
We take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the CDC, the office of Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Department of Health as well as the city and port of New Orleans. At this time, there have been no changes to scheduled future sailings on Norwegian Breakaway. We will provide additional updates to impacted guests as appropriate.”
– Spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line