Canada has secured a aircraft in its effort to repatriate Canadians on board the coronavirus-hit Grand Princess cruise ship which is at present quarantined off the coast of California, Global Affairs mentioned in an announcement on Sunday.
“The aircraft will carry passengers from San Francisco to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, after which they are going to be assessed and bear a 14-day quarantine,” the assertion learn.
“Given our shared border, Canada acknowledges the significance of working along with the United States to restrict the unfold of COVID-19 inside North America and overseas.”
The Grand Princess cruise ship — the place 19 crew members and two passengers have examined constructive for the virus — was headed to the port of Oakland, Calif., after idling off San Francisco for days. There is proof the ship was the breeding floor for a lethal cluster of just about 20 circumstances throughout an earlier voyage.
“Those that can want to be quarantined might be quarantined,” U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence mentioned. “Those who would require medical assistance will obtain it.”
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The ship, which is carrying greater than 3,500 individuals from 54 nations, together with 237 Canadians, is anticipated to attain Oakland on Monday. Passengers are anticipated to start disembarking the identical day, in accordance to an announcement from Princess Cruises.
The port at Oakland was chosen due to its proximity to an airport and a navy base, California Gov. Gavin Newsom mentioned. He mentioned it might take up to three days to put together the port website and get everybody off the ship.
The crew might be quarantined and handled aboard the ship, which can dock elsewhere, Newsom mentioned.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mentioned it was “working intently with the house nations of a number of hundred passengers to organize for repatriation to their nations.”
It additionally mentioned American passengers of the Grand Princess cruise ship might be taken to navy bases in California, Texas and Georgia to be examined for the COVID-19 virus and to spend a 14-day quarantine.
A second cruise ship was being held in the U.S. on Sunday, this one off the coast of Florida. The Regal Princess was supposed to dock in Port Everglades on Sunday morning however was as a substitute crusing up and down the coast, the Miami Herald reported.
The ship is awaiting take a look at outcomes on whether or not two crew members who transferred there from the Grand Princess have contracted the brand new coronavirus. The Coast Guard delivered testing kits to the Regal Princess Sunday morning and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a “no-sail order” for the ship.
It shouldn’t be instantly clear if there are Canadians onboard.
The U.S. dying toll from the virus is at 21, with all however three victims in Washington state. The variety of infections swelled to greater than 400, scattered throughout the U.S.
‘Back in our homeland’
The information of Canada’s repatriation efforts got here as a aid to Canadians onboard the the Grand Princess, together with Kara and Mark Schiestel of Saskatchewan.
“At least we might be again in our homeland,” Kara mentioned of the plan to CBC News.
For the final 4 days, the couple — who personal a big natural grain and cattle farm close to the city of Alameda — have been cooped up inside their cramped three-by-six metre room. But Kara says they’re “doing good.”
“The time has given us time to mirror,” Kara mentioned. “We have a busy 12 months of farming forward of us and calving is simply beginning. Thankfully now we have an important bunch of children again dwelling. The time alone with one another has confirmed that [Mark] is a lot better at playing cards than me.”
While Kara has an underlying well being situation that she believes makes her high-risk, she is staying constructive.
“I’m slightly nervous trigger you take care of a whole lot of workers usually on a cruise,” she mentioned. “But I’ve religion all the things might be OK.”
Ian Graylish from Toronto has been on the ship since Feb. 21.
“I’m actually grateful the Canadian authorities is getting us out of there, as a result of the issues we have been listening to from the U.S. authorities have not been very comforting,” he instructed CBC News, noting the response from the Trump administration.
“At the identical time, the concept of going to Trenton for 14 days [for quarantine] … it isn’t one thing I deliberate on doing after being away for a few weeks already.”
New circumstances in Canada
In Canada, Ontario’s well being ministry introduced three new case of COVID-19, that means that there are actually 31 confirmed circumstances of the sickness in the province.
The ministry mentioned the brand new circumstances embody two ladies in their 40s and 60s, and a person in his 60s
Quebec’s well being division has introduced one other presumptive case, bringing the whole of confirmed and presumptive circumstances in the province to 4. There are at present two confirmed circumstances in Quebec in addition to two presumptive circumstances, which nonetheless want to be confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.
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The new case was detected in the Montérégie area, southeast of Montreal, in an individual who returned from a cruise. Authorities say they’re nonetheless working to observe the affected person’s actions.
Alberta’s high medical official introduced two new presumptive circumstances in the province. The province is now coping with three presumptive circumstances and one confirmed case of COVID-19.
“All the circumstances of COVID-19 to date are travel-related and recovering in isolation at dwelling with assist from public well being officers. As quickly as these circumstances had been recognized final night time, we took instant motion to shield the general public,” mentioned Dr. Deena Hinshaw.
Himshaw mentioned three of the 4 sufferers are linked to the Grand Princess cruise ship.
She mentioned the fourth is an individual who got here in shut contact with somebody who had not too long ago travelled in Europe.
There are 61 confirmed circumstances in Canada — together with 27 confirmed in B.C. — and 5 presumptive. There have been no reported deaths to date.
A girl in her 80s who was in vital situation at Vancouver General Hospital is now in steady situation.
