San Francisco, Mar 13 (IANS): The coronavirus-striken Grand Princess cruise ship will extend its stay at the port of Oakland until Sunday, as more people have tested positive for COVID-19, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

It remains unclear how many people have tested positive in addition to the already known 21 positive cases on the ship. As the governor said, "That information is coming in real time," Xinhua reported on Friday.

The cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers docked at the port of Oakland on Monday after being held off at sea for days. As of Thursday noon, 2,042 people had disembarked from the ship.

"I support extending the stay of the Grand Princess because the operation has proven to be safe, meticulous, and at no risk to our residents," said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. "The duration has changed but the mission is the same to ensure the safety of Oakland."

Plans for the crew quarantined are still being determined.