CDC planned to drop off coronavirus cruise passengers at a shopping mall Cheesecake Factory, when they got out of quarantine

In San Antonio, Texas -- Federal health officials were planning to drop off some of the evacuated cruise ship passengers at a local shopping mall, after the coronavirus-exposed patients got out of a two-week quarantine at a Texas air base. This is one reason the city declared a public health emergency over COVID-19, said a city spokeswoman on Tuesday.

San Antonio filed a lawsuit yesterday to stop the Trump administration's plan, after a woman was mistakenly released from quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base over the weekend despite testing positive for coronavirus.

The woman had visited the North Star Mall, where the others were to be dropped off, before that mistake was discovered. The mall shut down for deep cleaning.

From AP:

Mayes said 122 passengers were released Tuesday, while seven remained in quarantine. Many passengers were bused to San Antonio International Airport, where they were escorted to ticket counters and through security. Others who live in Texas were escorted to car rental counters.

Passenger Terri Feil of Houston said a CDC official told them in a conference call Sunday that the mall, about 17 miles (27 kilometers) from the base, was chosen to avoid the media.

Feil said only people who were not going to the airport were to be dropped off at the mall. The Feils showed The Associated Press a text message they said was from the CDC indicating they were to be dropped off at the entrance by The Cheesecake Factory.

"My husband was asking, 'who made this decision?'" said Feil, who added that the couple's son was driving from Houston to pick them up.

More at The Associated Press.

Coronavirus image: CDC