Test kits airlifted to stricken Grand Princess cruise ship but US admits shortage

Coronavirus test kits have been lowered by helicopter on to a cruise ship being held off San Francisco, as the White House admitted a national shortage of the medical equipment.

The California National Guard flew the kits to the stricken Grand Princess, which is carrying 3,500 holidaymakers and crew.

Guests have been confined to their cabins since Wednesday in the latest cruise ship virus scare after an elderly American tourist from a previous voyage died of coronavirus and a number of people fell sick. 

The ship’s owner, Princess Cruises, said an initial group of 45 people have been identified for testing. Results were expected to be known today. 

A total of 142 UK nationals, including 121 passengers and 21 crew, are on board.

Vice President Mike Pence said last night: “We don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate the demand going forward.” He added: “We’ve made real progress on that in the last several days.”

The death toll in the US climbed to 12 last night, with all but one victim from the north-western state of Washington. There are now more than 200 cases across 20 states.

Mr Pence is co-ordinating the US government’s response to the outbreak.

Health experts have claimed that the virus may be spreading undetected through the US because of the lack of test kits.

Health officials say they expect to get enough kits this week to test 400,000 people. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said her agency would also supply kits by the end of the week for a further 75,000 people.

President Donald Trump warned that the outbreak “certainly might have an impact” on the economy.

But he insisted he will continue to shake hands with people despite the spread of the virus.

“It’s going to all work out, everybody has to be calm, it’s going to work out,” Mr Trump told a town hall meeting in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

“I love the people of this country and you cannot be a politician and not shake hands,” he added. “I’ll be shaking hands with people and they want to say hello and hug you and kiss you, I don’t care. You have to do that.”

Mr Trump is expected to sign a $8.3 billion (£6.4 billion) bill passed by ­Congress last night to help local authorities fight the virus.