Washington, Dec 24 (IANS): A total of 55 people aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship have tested positive for Covid-19 after it set sail on December 18 from the US state of Florida, the company said.

The infections on the Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship included passengers and crew members, and all are fully vaccinated, the operator said in a statement.

The ship, which was on an eight-night cruise, will not sail to the Caribbean islands of Curacao and Aruba as scheduled, the statement said, adding that the vessel will remain at sea until it returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 26, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to US media reports, there are over 3,500 passengers and around 1,600 crew members on board.

This is the second coronavirus outbreak on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in less than a week.

Last week, the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship returned to the port of Miami with 48 Covid-19 patients on board after a seven-day trip in the Caribbean.