The Zaandam cruise ship enters the Panama City Bay to be assisted by the Rotterdam cruise ship with supplies, personnel and COVID-19 testing devices, at 8 milles from Panama City, on March 27, 2020.

Four passengers died aboard Holland America's "Zaandam" cruise ship and two people on board tested positive for the coronavirus, the company announced Friday.

The company, which is owned by parent Carnival Corp., did not say how many passengers and crew were tested but said 53 passengers and 85 crew members are exhibiting symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. There are more than 1,800 people aboard the ship, the company said, adding that four doctors and four nurses are also on board.

The Zaandam, which is currently anchored off the coast of Panama, is now at least the third Carnival-owned ship to become the site of a coronavirus outbreak.

The company said in a statement that "four older guests have passed away on Zaandam," but did not specify whether they died of COVID-19. "No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile."

Another Holland America ship, the "Rotterdam," met the Zaandam at sea on Thursday, the company said, adding that it plans to transfer healthy patients from one ship to the other before they are exposed to COVID-19. All passengers and crew currently exhibiting symptoms will remain on the Zaandam. The company said it is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ship departed Buenos Aires on March 7 for a voyage that was meant to end in Chile on March 21. While the ship was at sea, Holland America "made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home."