As previously outlined, after being denied entry to Belize and Mexico, the Carnival Magic is set to arrive in the home port of Galveston Texas early tomorrow morning.

In anticipation of the arrival – the Coast Guard has finished a mission, to retrieve a blood sample for Ebola testing, from the healthcare worker who is quarantined on board. The U.S.C.G. completed the mission by flying  a helicopter to the cruise ship and used a basket extraction to retrieve the blood sample.  The sample is now being flown back to the U.S. Mainland.
The goal is to test the blood sample prior to the ship’s arrival and dissuade any fear the public might have prior to the passengers and crew de-boarding the vessel.  Here’s the statement from Carnival:

“Today we were advised by Texas health officials that they felt it was necessary for the health care worker currently on Carnival Magic to submit a blood sample for testing prior to the ship’s arrival in Galveston tomorrow [Sunday] morning,” Carnival said in a statement.

“As a result, a helicopter rendezvoused with the ship late this afternoon to facilitate the transfer of the sample,” the cruise line said. “At this time Carnival Magic is expected to arrive tomorrow [Sunday] morning as scheduled.”