OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Eight Nebraska residents who were on a cruise ship forced to idle off the California coast because of COVID-19 cases aboard have returned to the state and will isolate themselves for 14 days, officials said.
The Grand Princess pulled into the Port of Oakland March 9 with more than 3,500 people aboard - 21 confirmed to be infected with the new virus. The Nebraska residents were among those then taken for quarantine at a California military facility. Eight of them flew back to Nebraska on Monday, the Nebraska Health and Human Services Department said. Four more will be arriving in the coming days.
The passengers were medically screened before their flights to ensure they were not showing symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness. They will be monitored by their local health departments, the state said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
According to the World Health Organization, people with mild cases recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe ones can take three to six weeks to get better.