Coronavirus: 19 crew members, 2 passengers on cruise ship test positive for COVID-19, VP Pence says

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Vice President Mike Pence confirmed Friday afternoon that 19 crew members and two passengers on board the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California have tested positive for COVID-19.

A total of 46 people were tested after test kits were delivered to the cruise ship on Thursday.

One of the tests was inconclusive, the vice president said.

One of the stranded passengers on the Grand Princess Cruise Ship is speaking out about her experience.

Debbi Loftus says the ship's captain is coming on every two or three hours to keep passengers updated as to what's going on, including the latest on tests results.

"We should know about 9:00 this morning Pacific Time," said Loftus during a Friday interview with Good Morning America.

Passengers aboard the cruise ship off the California coast have been instructed to stay in their cabins as they await test results that could show whether the novel coronavirus is spreading among the 3,500 people aboard.

A previous passenger died from the illness. Authorities say several passengers aboard the Grand Princess are showing symptoms that could be COVID-19, a cold or flu.

Here's her full interview with ABC's Cecilia Vega on GMA:

CV: Joining us now is Debbi Loftus on that cruise ship. Debbi, thanks for joining us. I know you're traveling with your parents in their 80s in a room right there next to you. How did you all find out what was going on on the ship?

DL: Well, about two days ago we had a piece of paper slid underneath our door telling us that the CDC determined that there's some people on the boat that were symptomatic and that we were having to head back to San Francisco and miss our stop in Mexico.

CV: So we can see you in your room there now. It's our understanding you're now confined to that room but passengers were allowed to mingle even after it had been discovered there were previous passengers who tested positive. Is that concerning to you?

DL: It wasn't concerning because we all figured we'd been together and mingling for the last 13 days so if we were exposed to it, it would have happened already.

CV: What are the conditions like for you right now? Are you getting food? Being able to see your parents?

DL: We're next door and there's a little door between our balconies that is open and so I've been able to see them and play some cards with them.

CV: Good. We're glad you can keep an eye on them. I want to ask, did you have any concerns about getting on a cruise in the first place given everything that's going on with the coronavirus right now and what has happened to previous cruise ships in recent weeks.

DL: We did have some concerns and especially because my parents are elderly and my mom has asthma, so we talked it over and just figured that we -- that there was a small chance, but it was worth taking.

CV: Do you feel like you're getting information you need from the crew and the cruise line at this point? You have what you need?

DL: The captain is coming on every two or three hours to keep us updated as to what's going on and what the CDC is telling him and what's being required of us.

CV: Well, Debbi, thank you very much. I wish you well, I wish your parents well and the other passengers on board with you right now.

DL: Thank you and let's just pray everything comes back negative. We should know about 9:00 this morning Pacific Time.

CV: Be well.