Four passengers died aboard Holland America’s Zaandam cruise ship and two others on board tested positive for the coronavirus, the company said Friday.
Nearly 140 passengers and team members are experiencing flu-like symptoms on the cruise ship, which is lately holding Panama, Holland America said. There are 1243 visitors and 586 team members on board.
“Holland America Line can verify that four older visitors have died in Zaandam,” the company said. “No one has left the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile. “
Holland America is owned by Carnival Corp. (CCL), whose shares fell 19% to $14. 40 on Friday.
Shares of cruise lines had risen earlier in the week; an overdue amendment to the U. S. stimulus package. USA Limited Relief for Unincorporated U. S. Corporations Carnival is incorporated in Panama but operates out of Miami.
The Holland America Zaandam departed Buenos Aires on March 7 and was originally scheduled to complete its voyage in San Antonio, Chile, on March 21.
“Zaandam is recently off the coast of Panama and has an appointment with Rotterdam’s sister shipment at 7:30 p. m. yesterday’s time, March 26,” the company said.
“While the plan to move forward with the two ships is still being finalized, we continue to negotiate with the Panamanian government for approval to transit the Panama Canal to sail to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “
The Zaandam is now at least the third ship owned by Carnival at the site of a coronavirus outbreak.
Carnival’s Diamond Princess had more than 700 passengers and equipment inflamed and at least 8 other people died after disembarking from the ship.
U. S. officials said 21 cases of COVID-19 were detected on another Carnival-owned ship, the Grand Princess, which docked off the coast of California.
Separately, Bloomberg reported Friday that Carnival is in talks to raise up to $7 billion as the cruise ship operator looks to shore up its finances amid a global shutdown.