2 cruise ships arrive in Florida after negotiations

A cruise ship that's been floating at sea with coronavirus patients aboard for two weeks after being turned away from South American ports has finally been allowed to dock in Florida.

The Zaandam and a sister ship sent to help it, the Rotterdam, were given permission to disembark passengers at Port Everglades on Thursday, after days of negotiation with officials who feared it would divert resources from a region with a spike in virus cases.

The agreement was reached Thursday among between local, state and federal officials and Carnival, which owns the Zaandam and the Rotterdam.

Port Everglades traffic records listed the ships' arrival as "confirmed."

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

The vast majority of people recover.