PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - A cruise ship that reported four deaths and two COVID-19 cases has been denied access to cross the Panama Canal and head to Fort Lauderdale.
According to Holland America Line, four older guests died on the ship.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time,” a statement read.
CONFIRMED: The Holland America Zaandam will NOT be allowed to transit the Panama Canal. Therefore, it will NOT be docking at Port Everglades next week. pic.twitter.com/TdoZVwpPQV
— Frank Guzman (@fguzmanon7) March 27, 2020
The cause of death was not immediately known.
At least two guests on the ship have tested positive for COVID-19.
“I’m so worried,” said Suzanne Termaat, whose parents Charles and Elise Borg are on board Holland America’s Zaandam ship, which is anchored off the coast of Panama.
The Zaandam, which left Buenos Aires with a total of 1,243 guests and 586 crew members on board on March 7, was expected to dock at Port Everglades sometime next week.
“We hope to pass through the Panama Canal and get to Fort Lauderdale,” said Charles Borg. “We’re not sure of that, the captain has been trying for several days to get an answer and none has been forthcoming.”
Flora Gabberoni and Juan Juergo of Winter Springs said they were supposed to dock in Chile March 20 and fly back to Florida.
“There was no pandemic and all the ports were open, and there were only five cases of COVID-19 in all of Latin America,” Gabberoni said.
“We need the U.S. government to help us,” Juergo said.
Several South American countries have closed their ports.
Dozens of passengers aboard the Zaandam came down with flu-like symptoms and four have died.
Those who were healthy had to remain isolated in their rooms.
“At this point, there’s not much we can do one way or the other,” Gabberoni said. “We’re doing everything we can to protect ourselves.”
The Zaandam has rendezvoused with its sister ship, the Rotterdam, to transfer medical supplies onto the Zaandam and move the healthy passengers onto the Rotterdam.
“The main concern is just being able to get home,” Gabberoni said.
“It’s one person, then it was five people, and now it’s almost a quarter of the crew, I think, and a lot of passengers, and so, all they wanna do is get home,” Termaat said.
“Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on the Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70,” the cruise line said.
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