4 cruise ship passengers test negative for new virus

Four passengers who were taken to a hospital after ir cruise ship arrived in New Jersey tested negative for a new virus that has sickened more than 20,000 and killed nearly 500, mostly in China.

Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement that personnel with Centers for Disease Control allowed four passengers to be discharged from hospital Saturday.

Three of four people stayed in a cabin toger and were diagsed with flue. or person stayed in a separate cabin and did t have any symptoms, Murphy said.

passengers were tested after ir cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Anm of Seas, docked and screened 27 passengers who h recently traveled from mainland China. cruise ship h left Cape Liberty on Jan. 27 for an 11-day cruise to Caribbean.

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Officials said 23 passengers were cleared, all Chinese nationals, and taken to Newark Liberty International Airport for a flight back to China. New Jersey has confirmed cases of new virus.

new virus is in coronavirus family that includes Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. It causes fever, cough, shortness of breath and, in severe cases, pneumonia.

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