Ft. Lauderdale mayor on cruise ship with sick passengers: 'We don't need any more infection in our community'
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Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Mayor Dean Trantalis joined "Bill Hemmer Reports" Monday to explain why he does not want a cruise ship carrying passengers believed to be infected with the coronavirus to dock at the nearby Port Everglades Cruiseport.
"It's unfair for these sick people, over 100 of them, to be dumped on our shores and left to their own devices," Trantalis said. " ... We are a community that is trying to hold everything together. People are out of work. We're staying at home. We don't need any more infection in our community."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}4 HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE PASSENGERS DIE ON SHIP; 138 SICK WITH 'INFLUENZA-LIKE' SYMPTOMS
About 130 people onboard the Holland America cruise ship Zandaam have reported flu-like symptoms and four elderly passengers have died, officials said. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew onboard the Zandaam, which left Argentina on March 7 and has not been allowed to dock for more than two weeks.
Another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam, delivered medical supplies and medical personnel to the Zandaam on Thursday. Healthy passengers were transferred to the Rotterdam.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"So we have two ships sailing toward our port and yet we do not have the medical facilities in order to be able to accommodate what needs to happen to these folks. And until such time as that happens, it cannot come to Fort Lauderdale," Trantalis said. "It should go to a place where medical facilities and technicians exist."
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that it would be “a mistake” to bring passengers from the Zandaam onshore, adding the area’s hospital beds need to be saved for residents and not “foreign nationals.” DeSantis has suggested sending medical personnel to the ship to test the passengers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We appreciate the support of the governor," Trantalis said. "We've been in touch with the White House. The White House is with us. They're watching this. And they're going to make sure that this ship does not land at our yards."
Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.