Despite stringent measures to keep guests and crew safe, Cunard Line says that 10 people on board the Queen Mary 2 have tested positive for COVID-19 as the ocean liner arrived in New York City after her transatlantic cruise from Southampton.

The Daily Express first reported about the outbreak saying that first passengers tested positive for Covid-19 last week and that there are around 60 people in isolation confined to their cabins. People who have tested positive are disembarked and put in quarantine at a Hotel in Brooklyn, where they will isolate for 10 days.

Cunard released the following statement:

"Queen Mary 2 arrived in New York City yesterday, carrying 1,473 guests. During routine testing, 10 guests (0.7%) tested positive for Covid-19 and are being disembarked in New York City in line with our framework of protocols and due to the length and complexity of the onward itinerary, which includes a number of Caribbean ports of call and countries.

'All guests have to be fully vaccinated to travel, with pre-embarkation testing for all. The ship follows a stringent and approved framework of protocols which were developed with Government and public health authorities."

The Queen Mary 2 set sail from Southampton on December 13. The ocean liner returned to New York City on December 20, for her first visit to NYC in over 18 months. The vessel will spend 3 days and 2 nights at the Brooklyn-Red Hook cruise terminal, her usual berth in New York City, before sailing on her Christmas-New Year voyage on Wednesday evening to the Caribbean

After completing hotel isolation the COVID-positive guests can rejoin Queen Mary 2 on January 3, when the vessel returns to New York City on the way back to Southampton, if they produce negative tests.