Carnival reveals there are still over 6,000 passengers in cruise ships at sea during pandemic: report

On Tuesday, Carnival Corp., the largest cruise line in the world, announced in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that there are still over 6,000 passengers out at sea amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Cruise ships have been among the most devastatingly effective incubators for cases of COVID-19. One of the first deadly outbreaks outside of China occurred aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Authorities responded to the outbreak by quarantining passengers on the ship itself, leading to even more cases and deaths.

President Donald Trump has expressed interest in bailing out the cruise industry, even though virtually all cruise ships are registered in foreign ports and the companies do not pay U.S. taxes. The chairman of Carnival Corp., Micky Arison, is a personal friend of Trump who sponsored his reality show "The Apprentice" for years.