Two other passengers died before the ship arrived in Miami on Saturday.

The Australian was taken to Larkin Community Hospital.

"There are two people who will be transferred to Larkin," Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez told reporters on Saturday.

"One is American. One is Australian

"There are two Americans who will be transferred to a hospital in Tampa.

"We originally had six, but apparently two passed away on the way in."

The Coral Princess, with 1020 passengers and 878 crew, is the latest cruise to turn into a nightmare when people began falling ill with coronavirus symptoms and nations refused to let the ship dock.

Princess Cruises said seven passengers and five crew members had tested positive.

The ship was cruising around South America and was due to end in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 19.

Mr Gimenez agreed to allow the ship to dock at Port Miami as soon as Princess Cruises arranged for flights out of Miami International Airport for passengers deemed fit to fly.

Strict protocols, including passengers wearing masks and separate waiting areas at the airport, would be in place.

A similar predicament was endured by 133 Australians on the Zaandam and Rotterdam cruise ships that were initially blocked from stopping at South American ports.

The two ships were cleared to dock at Florida's Port Everglades on Thursday with the Australians placed on charter flights for the US west coast and connecting flights back to Australia.

Australian Associated Press