American Seafoods reported 85 new cases of COVID-19 on July 20, on board a trawler docked in Unalaska, Alaska. The company had confirmed six cases aboard the American Triumph late last week, while over the weekend it reported that mass testing on the factory trawler showed 79 more positive tests.
The seven crew members experienced symptoms two weeks after the ship left the West Coast. The boat docked in the Unalaska port of Dutch Harbor on July 16, with tests revealing that six of those seven workers had COVID-19.
In addition, the City of Unalaska reported that after further medical screening, the American Triumph and the COVID-19 positive employees were set to sail to Seward, Alaska.
Upon arrival, the crew would be moved to an isolation facility in Anchorage for monitoring and medical care. The 34 crew members who tested negative for the virus were taking chartered flights from Unalaska to Anchorage, where they would be monitored for symptoms whilst being in quarantine.
According to American Seafoods, all crew members on the American Triumph had been tested for COVID-19 and had undergone a 14-day quarantine before boarding the vessel.
The company also added that it had registered 119 cases of COVID-19 in June, after reporting cases on factory trawlers working the Pacific whiting fishery off the West Coast.
The American Triumph had reported four cases, but fleet partner American Dynasty had 94 cases. During this time, the company received criticism for a five-day quarantine period, which made them adopt a 14-day quarantine period.
