Lawmakers Open Probe Into Carnival Corp. Coronavirus Infections & Response
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has opened a probe over its coronavirus outbreak response onboard Carnival Corp. ships.
Miami-based Carnival, the world's largest cruise line operator, received a letter from the Committee requesting documents concerning the company's response to the coronavirus outbreak on its ships.
Carnival CEO Arnold Donald is being asked to provide internal documents and communications related to COVID-19 since Jan. 1. He is supposed to turn them over by May 15.
The committee wants to know what information the company had regarding potential infections, public health implications and possible exposure of its passengers and crew as well as its response to that information.
While Carnival isn't the only company to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, its fleet did have an unusually high number of outbreaks, according to the Committee.
Its Diamond Princess ship was quarantined at a Japanese port in one of the first major outbreaks outside of China, where the virus emerged in December. There were at least nine Carnival-owned ships with COVID-19 outbreaks.
A statement released by Carnival Corp. reads: "Our goal is the same as the committee's goal: to protect the health, safety and well-being of our guests and crew, along with compliance and environmental protection. We are reviewing the letter and will fully cooperate with the committee."
Carnival's fleet remains on hold right now. It has canceled all sailings through and including June 26, with some specific itineraries zeroed out until the end of October.
