Cruise lines denying passengers who have recently traveled to China in wake of coronavirus

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus has risen to 11 in the United States.

As the cases grow, so does the fear of the deadly outbreak.

The panic is causing agencies around the country to step up their screening process.

The President responded on Sunday.

“We can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem, this coronavirus,” Trump said.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Sunday its decision to allow three more U.S. airports to accept flights from China.

Initially, only eight U.S. airports were authorized to conduct the upgraded health screenings on passengers onboard planes from Asia.

No Florida airports have been granted this authority.  

In addition to airports, cruise lines are denying boarding to anyone who has been to mainland China or Hong Kong in the last two weeks.　

The Cruise Line International Association released a statement on January 30:

“The safety and health of passengers is the number one priority of CLIA members. CLIA and its member lines maintain close contact with health professionals and regulators around the world, including the World Health Organization (WHO), and are continually assessing and modifying policies and procedures as developments emerge. This includes the modification of itineraries, where needed, in light of evolving circumstances, as well as health, travel and contact screening where appropriate, for guests and crew who have recently traveled from or through the affected area consistent with prevailing guidance from global health authorities. Screening protocols allow for informed decisions on a case-by-case basis whether a guest or crewmember will be denied boarding.”

Among others, the ban affects Disney, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruises.