SAN DIEGO–County health officials will restrict the acceptance of cruise ships with COVID-19 cases and have instituted new rules for the unloading of passengers and crew members off cruise ships arriving in San Diego.
The first order, which goes into effect immediately, states:
- No passenger or employee may disembark a cruise ship in San Diego harbor without approval of the health officer, or designee, if any person on the cruise ship has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Any cruise ship that is permitted to dock in San Diego harbor shall notify the Health Officer, or designee, regarding any emergency medical treatment required for a passenger or employee, and shall follow all directives of the Health Officer, or designee.
The second order, which takes effect April 1 indicates:
- No cruise ship in San Diego harbor may dock or disembark employees or passengers after March 31, 2020. However, upon approval of the Health Officer, a cruise ship may dock solely for the purpose of receiving fuel and provisions so long as no employee or passenger disembarks.
- Cruise ships docked in San Diego harbor shall notify the Health Officer, or designee, regarding any emergency medical treatment required for a passenger or employee, and shall follow all directives of the Health Officer, or designee.
The second order goes into effect April 1 to allow for the disembarkation of passengers and crew members of the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship, which began to disembark at the Port of San Diego today and is expected to be done by tomorrow, said Eric McDonald, medical director of the County Epidemiology and Immunization Services branch.
McDonald indicated all passengers and crew members have been medically screened and are healthy. Everyone in the ship is going home to self-quarantine for 14 days, including 17 people on the ship who are from San Diego.
