Cruise passenger dies of COVID amid outbreak on ship

A pistillate who tested affirmative for COVID-19 aboard a Carnival cruise vessel amid an outbreak died earlier this month, investigating the caller regulations facing the cruise manufacture arsenic ships resume sailing.

The New York Times and NBC News study that the rider was 1 of 27 radical who contracted the microorganism aboard the Carnival Vista cruise vessel during a travel to the Caribbean successful precocious July and aboriginal August. The different 26 radical who contracted the microorganism were unit members.

NBC News reports that the fatality is the archetypal cruise-linked COVID-19 decease since ships resumed sailing retired of the U.S. successful June.

The pistillate passenger, who was traveling with her family, tested affirmative aft experiencing respiratory complications. When the vessel arrived successful Belize 4 days into the eight-day voyage, she was admitted to a infirmary and placed connected a ventilator.

The rider was aboriginal evacuated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for further treatment. However, the Times reports that the rider died connected Aug. 14, astir 2 weeks aft the vessel departed from the U.S.

The Times reports the rider was 77 years old. It's unclear if she was vaccinated.

The Vista sailed retired of Galveston, Texas — a authorities that prohibits businesses from requiring impervious of vaccination. However, 96% of the passengers aboard the vessel were reportedly vaccinated, according to a connection from the Belize tourism board.

In a statement, Carnival Cruises claimed that it was "unlikely" that the impermanent contracted the microorganism connected the ship.

"We are precise atrocious to perceive astir the decease of a impermanent who sailed connected Carnival Vista," Carnival said successful a statement. "...The impermanent astir surely did not declaration COVID connected our ship, and she was assisted with adept aesculapian attraction connected committee and was yet evacuated from Belize aft we provided a assets to her family. We person continued to supply enactment to her household and are not going to adhd to their sadness by commenting further."

The Times notes that Carnival did not trial vaccinated passengers for COVID-19 earlier they boarded the ship. NBC News reports that opening Saturday, Carnival volition necessitate vaccinated passengers to contiguous impervious of a antagonistic COVID-19 trial taken wrong 3 days of embarkment.

On Aug. 7, Carnival updated its argumentation to necessitate each passengers to deterioration masks portion indoors and to prohibition smoking from onboard casinos.

"We person ever required vaccinations. From our restart successful July, 95+% guests person been vaccinated. We conscionable the explanation of a vaccinated cruise," a Carnival spokesperson told NBC News. "And we added the investigating request connected July 28. (August) 28 is erstwhile caller guidelines for the Bahamas spell into effect."

On Aug. 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued caller guidelines recommending that those who are astatine accrued hazard for terrible unwellness debar cruise vessel travel, careless of their vaccination status.