Officials in California are scrambling to keep the coronavirus from spreading. They've ordered a cruise ship with about 3,500 people aboard not to dock until passengers and crew are tested. A traveler from its previous voyage died, and at least one other became infected.
A Wisconsin woman and her elderly parents are stranded on that ship off the coast of San Francisco.
Debbi Loftus is originally from Germantown, but has since moved to Eagle River. She sent us videos and photos of helicopters hovering above the Grand Princess cruise ship Thursday. They lowered test kits and health workers down to the ship.
According to the CDC, on the cruise's first leg, three people tested positive for the illness. On its second leg, 11 passengers and ten crew members are now showing symptoms.
Luckily, Loftus and her parents are not symptomatic.
"If you're healthy and you feel good, you can go out into the public areas, you can go eat," said Loftus. "They have room service if you don't want to go. Only those showing symptoms are quarantined in their rooms, but they've canceled large gatherings. They've added handwashing stations and are making us wash our hands really diligently. They've changed the way they serve food, so passengers are not touching utensils or napkins. There are no buffets. If you want salt and pepper, they're putting it on for you. They're very diligent about wiping tables between passengers."
After the 15-day cruise, Loftus is supposed to be back in Wisconsin this weekend but has already been informed that might not happen.
"I feel safe, I feel good, but it's hard not knowing what's going to happen to us. are we going to stay on the boat? Are we going to be quarantined? Where are they going to put us? We don't have answers yet. The answers will be coming hopefully."