Coronavirus Claims Two Lives Aboard Coral Princess Cruise Ship

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 9, 2020

As the tourism industry continues to crumble amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, its devastating path has left thousands of people stranded aboard cruise ships all over the world, and the Coral Princess is no exception. With seven passengers and five crew members already testing positive aboard the vessel, including two guests that have since passed away from the virus, it has been struggling for weeks to find a city that will permit them to dock.

What was initially meant to be a relaxing & rejuvenating fourteen-day dream vacation aboard Princess Cruise Lines’ flagstaff ship, quickly became a nightmare for everyone involved. Originally set to sail on March 5th, 2020, the luxury liner left from its home base in Chile en route to Argentina, with the intent of wrapping up in Buenos Aires on March 19th. This, however, did not happen. As the novel coronavirus swept South America, many nations began to close their ports to all cruise ships in the area, stating that they did not want to further spread this deadly disease throughout their own countries. This then forced the Coral Princess to extend its journey by two weeks, desperately seeking a port that would allow them entry.

After being at sea for nearly a month, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez finally granted the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship access to Florida’s Port Miami, with a full disembarkment expected to take 2-3 days. Sick passengers and crew that required immediate medical treatment have already been transported from the ship to the appropriate facilities. Everyone else will have to undergo COVID-19 testing by the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention prior to leaving the Coral Princess. Once they have tested negative by the CDC, they will then be allowed to come ashore starting Sunday.

Many health experts believe that the cruise ship industry itself did not, and has not done enough to combat COVID-19. Even after it was common knowledge that the virus was an airborne contagion, passengers and crew were still allowed aboard with little to no medical screenings. And to make matters even worse, if that’s possible, strict quarantine guidelines were also not followed and improper/inconsistent deboarding procedures contributed to thousands of people travelling home after their trip with the potential to infect everyone they come in contact with.

If you or a family member have been adversely affected by the coronavirus after being on a cruise ship, please contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free initial case evaluation.

Sources:

• Coral Princess docks in Miami with 2 dead and several ill of coronavirus, after ports shunned it for days
• 2 Cruise Passengers Dead as Coral Princess Ship with Coronavirus Cases Arrives in Miami

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.