Los Angeles (AFP)

Fueled by a lack of information about their return to shore, concern was growing on Saturday among passengers of a cruise ship maintained off the coast of California after having recorded 21 cases of coronavirus, said a tourist joined by AFP .

The captain of the Grand Princess has "nothing to say about when or where we can land yet," said Carolyn Wright, a professional photographer who travels with a friend.

At midday, the liner was about 100 kilometers from San Francisco.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced Friday that 19 crew members and two passengers on the boat had tested positive for Covid-19.

Pence said the ship will dock in the non-commercial part of a port by Sunday and that everyone on board will be tested again.

"Those who need to be quarantined will be," he said.

The Grand Princess, which left San Francisco and was due to return on Wednesday, had interrupted its circuit two weeks after the discovery of symptoms in some of its 3,533 passengers and crew members.

A 71-year-old man who had participated in part of the cruise died of the Covid-19 on his return to California.

Carolyn Wright said her travel partner, who suffers from lung disease, was "very worried". "So far we are doing well and we hope it will not change," she added.

A seriously ill passenger and his relatives were evacuated by helicopter overnight, but the case is not linked to the coronavirus, Princess Cruises said on Saturday.

Frustration was also felt on Friday when health officials prohibited passengers, confined to their cabin since Thursday, from spending any time in the open air, said Carolyn Wright.

Princess Cruises also owns the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined in February in Japan with more than 700 contaminations, including six fatal.

Faced with the risk of spreading the epidemic, the San Francisco ballet announced on Saturday on its Instagram account the cancellation of the performances of "Midsummer Night's Dream" until March 15.

In total, more than 200 people were infected in the United States and at least 19 died, including 16 in Washington State alone (northwest), according to an assessment established by AFP from official figures.

© 2020 AFP