Coronavirus Screening Delays Cruise Ship's Bayonne Departure

https://www.facebook.com/wallerABC7/videos/2928057287225946/

Members of the Centers For Disease Control and the New Jersey Department of Health were on the scene at the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne this morning, as Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas docked at 6 am.

More than two dozen Chinese nationals were aboard the ship, having been screened for the Coronavirus.   In total, four passengers were taken to University Hospital in Newark for additional testing, while 23 passengers displaying no symptoms were scheduled to return to China at some point.

The ship had originally left Bayonne on January 27.  Royal Caribbean issued a statement this morning, saying it appeared unlikely anyone on the ship was infected with the Coronavirus, but as a precaution, the Anthem of the Seas is delaying its scheduled  4 pm Friday departure for the Bahamas until the CDC receives final word on the test results.

Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis informed residents with tweets updating the situation, saying  in a 8:59 am tweet “the CDC considers this  “Below Low Risk.  All other passengers released w/no action needed.”