Cholera on Haiti

[Tatka]

Then why isnt Royal Caribbean canceling this port? Im on the EOS this Thursday. Why would they stop there if the water isnt safe to swim in?

Guess I will have to stay on the ship that day...

 

6 Sea Days on 10 day cruise? :eek:

 

I hope if they decide to cancel...(which I don't want), maybe they can stop at Casa de Campo, DR?

[lookgood2]

.."certainly not in Labadee" ...why not....what is different about Labadee....water is water....

[Tatka]

.."certainly not in Labadee" ...why not....what is different about Labadee....water is water....

 

Salt water vs fresh water

[billie5]

Unless you believe there is an open sewer emptying right next to the Labadee beach, the odds of catching cholera in the ocean there is virtually zero. What is vastly higher, at least between now and next April, is contracting, and eventually dying of, influenza while on Labadee. I hope all those who fear serious illness and death from cholera on Labadee are wise enough to cancel their cruises, as cruise ships in the winter months are a great environment for passing on influenza (not to mention the air flights to travel to the embarkation port).

 

Bill

[NordicPrince]

.."certainly not in Labadee" ...why not....what is different about Labadee....water is water....

 

Due to the number of posts you have been contributing to this discussion I was wondering if you would be able to post your qualifications as an infectious disease specialist so we can all judge the veracity of your statements. I for one would appreciate this.

 

Any input from any such qualified posters is more than welcome. Posting anything else is just stoking the fires of hysteria.

 

In the interim I would suggest that letting the experts provide the information would be a prudent course of action lest we lose the truth in the midst of misinformation.

[lookgood2]

I would be honored to tell you my source...."the State Department"....so your counting my posts....your with Royal Caribbean...am I right......

[orchidj5]

Since when are diplomats infectous disease specialists. IF there were any danger of infecting passenger-RC would stop going to Labadee-seriously the PR from having ONE passenger contract cholera would be unbearable-the risk there is no greater than any other place any other day-as a PP said-if you are concerned about this you should be hysterical about the prospect of contracting fatal influenza on a flight or cruise-the risk much much much greater-and i dont see the State Department offering any oppinions on that.

[NordicPrince]

I would be honored to tell you my source...."the State Department"....so your counting my posts....your with Royal Caribbean...am I right......

 

1. Please post link to U.S. State Department travel advisory on Cholera conditions in Haiti. I might find this informative.

 

2. Like I said, please list qualifications as an infectious disease specialist vs. a spreader of hysteria and misinformation. You're entitled to your opinions but overkill is a little bit much.

 

I could point you to Wikipedia.com to look up Cholera. Perhaps this might be informative as a first step.

 

It would be great if someone with specialty in infectious disease could post here.

 

3. With Royal Caribbean? ROFL.

 

4. We'll give you some leeway by way of being an infrequent poster.

 

In the meantime I suggest we all listen what the real experts have to tell us before locking ourselves up in our cabins for the duration. That's my intended course of action.

[Barnaby100]

Thanks for the link. Seems according to wiki that the phrase I should have used was 'infected faecal waste water produced by cholera victims'. Guess that about covers it all. You learn something new everyday.

 

The uk news reported that it was stabilising and cases were dropping off tonight- don't know if they are saying the same in the USA. They also said that over a million people were still homeless.

[cruisinfanatic]

.."certainly not in Labadee" ...why not....what is different about Labadee....water is water....

You don't catch it from swimming in the ocean. You catch it from drinking contaminated food or drinking water

 

You decide to join cruise critic today just to spout your unnecessary warnings about Labadee?

Yes to state department has issued warnings. They do all the time.

 

Here is what they warned about and has nothing to do with swimming in the ocean or eating the picnic lunch from the ship in Labadee. Find another subject that you can contribute to:

 

Advice for Travelers

 

At this time, CDC and the U.S. Department of State maintain travel warnings for Haiti. These warnings recommend that U.S. citizens avoid all nonessential travel to Haiti. For more information, see Travel Health Warning: Major Earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on the CDC website.

 

Most travelers are not at high risk for getting cholera, but people who are traveling to Haiti should still take steps to prevent getting sick. Although no cholera vaccine is available in the United States, travelers can greatly reduce their risk for cholera by following CDC’s safe food and water advice:

 

* Before departing for Haiti, talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for an antibiotic to treat travelers’ diarrhea.

* Drink water that you have boiled for at least one minute or treated with chlorine or iodine (2 drops of household bleach or ½ an iodine tablet per liter of water). Other safe beverages include tea and coffee made with boiled or treated water, as well as drinks that have been bottled and sealed (such as bottled water, carbonated drinks, and sports drinks).

* Do not put ice in drinks, unless the ice is made from boiled or treated water.

* Eat only foods that have been thoroughly cooked and are still hot, or fruit that you have peeled yourself.

* Do not eat undercooked or raw fish or shellfish, including ceviche.

* Make sure all vegetables are cooked. Do not eat salads or other raw vegetables.

* Do not eat foods or drink beverages from street vendors.

* Do not bring perishable seafood back to the United States.

[Dedqw3434]

Cholera is spread MANY ways. Please check online to all the facts. It is spread by contaminated water, food, and personal contact with someone who is carring the virus. I personally think RCCL should pull the plug on this port for a while! I assure you that if you do get the virus the boat will NOT tell you. Just as my daughter cause the cruise virus that was spread a few years back. We were told it was only "sea sickness" and given dramamine. There is no way they will tell you that you became ill due to their faulty decisions. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to cruise and the private area of Haiti is one of my favorite places. But, we are leaving 11/14/10 and I honestly hope they will pull this from their itinerary! I know one can choose to stay on the ship but this will not prevent a thing considering how easily spread this virus is. It will only return to the ship with other partakers.

So I honestly advise us all to be very careful and get all the facts!

[Scotty G]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholera/DS00579/DSECTION=causestp://

[Sue L]

Cholera is spread MANY ways. Please check online to all the facts. It is spread by contaminated water, food, and personal contact with someone who is carring the virus. I personally think RCCL should pull the plug on this port for a while! I assure you that if you do get the virus the boat will NOT tell you. Just as my daughter cause the cruise virus that was spread a few years back. We were told it was only "sea sickness" and given dramamine. There is no way they will tell you that you became ill due to their faulty decisions. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to cruise and the private area of Haiti is one of my favorite places. But, we are leaving 11/14/10 and I honestly hope they will pull this from their itinerary! I know one can choose to stay on the ship but this will not prevent a thing considering how easily spread this virus is. It will only return to the ship with other partakers.

So I honestly advise us all to be very careful and get all the facts!

 

Read up it does NOT spread from person to person like the Noro virus and for your information Noro is NOT a cruise ship illness, it is what used to be called the stomach flu or stomach bug and it is EVERYWHERE not just cruise ships.

It spreads in ANY place with lots of people together like a ship, colleges, schools, etc.

 

If you get in on a ship yes they do tell you there is a problem and even give you free medical and many times credit for the days you are quarantined.

[cruzincurt]

There is also dengue fever in some of the Caribbean islands but the ships continue to stop there. It is possible one of the townspeople who come across from the nearby town might bring it over but that can happen anywhere. We have beaches closed here in Tampa from time to time due to high bacteria measurements. I would get off the ship in Labadee.

[Gilgo Surfer]

Is it really in anyones best interest Royal Carribeans or the passengers to take a risk like this? Why not just reroute us to another island.

 

I'm with you! At least for now.

[retiredonthesea]

I'am getting off the ship in Labadee this coming Nov. 2nd. Fear is a terrible thing and I could not live a good life if I became afraid of everything happening in our world today. Life is too short yes, but take precautions and be health savy. I had a friend hit and killed by a person talking on their cell phone while driving--now how many of you do that everyday and endanger other lifes. We take chances every day in our normal routines. Be cautious--and yes if you feel the need to stay on the ship or not go at all--by all means do so!! I for one will take a bottle of hand sanitizer, drink only water provided by the ship/bottled and practice sanitary measures and will enjoy my hard earned vacation!!

[CdnMessKit]

My quals are 5 years as a Medic in the military followed by the last 7 as a Preventive Medicine Technician (the militarys version of a Public Health Inspector/travel health briefer/ Occupational Health Inspector).

[UNV-IT!!!]

well hopefully you would be washing your hands when you leave the restroom in which case you wouldnt have any problems regardless of who was in there before you.

Reading these boards can really confuse you. I am concerned because no one wants to get sick while on vacation. Now if we go to labadee and we eat only the food RCCL brings over and only drink what is from the ship, we should all be OK. BUT - now that I drank and ate, I need to use the restroom. How do I know that one of the Haitians who are on the island isn't sick. Maybe they just use the restroom and got sick. Then didn't just wash their hands. Isn't that one way to spread it? I might be stretching it here, I don't know. I am asking?? We will be there in about a week, I am a little nervous. We may not get off the ship.

 

Irene

[UNV-IT!!!]

lol we have reported cases down this way in miami. should rcl stop sailing out of miami? lol

There is also dengue fever in some of the Caribbean islands but the ships continue to stop there. It is possible one of the townspeople who come across from the nearby town might bring it over but that can happen anywhere. We have beaches closed here in Tampa from time to time due to high bacteria measurements. I would get off the ship in Labadee.

[read52]

Cholera is spread MANY ways. Please check online to all the facts. It is spread by contaminated water, food, and personal contact with someone who is carring the virus. I personally think RCCL should pull the plug on this port for a while! I assure you that if you do get the virus the boat will NOT tell you. Just as my daughter cause the cruise virus that was spread a few years back. We were told it was only "sea sickness" and given dramamine. There is no way they will tell you that you became ill due to their faulty decisions. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to cruise and the private area of Haiti is one of my favorite places. But, we are leaving 11/14/10 and I honestly hope they will pull this from their itinerary! I know one can choose to stay on the ship but this will not prevent a thing considering how easily spread this virus is. It will only return to the ship with other partakers.

So I honestly advise us all to be very careful and get all the facts!

 

 

There is a difference between a virus and bacteria. Cholera is caused by bacteria for which we have many meds. Bacteria is a living organism. A virus only reproduces like a living organism but does not carry on any other life functions. We only have a few meds to treat viruses. Both bacteria and viruses cause illnesses. Bacteria is in our bodies at all times but when the balance gets upset we get sick.

 

Should RCCL cancel all stops to DR (Samana) since it is all part of one big island?

[read52]

I have taught science for over 30 years. My husband got viral encephilitis five years ago from shingles. Five years of talking to doctors about his after affects of this virus, I have learned a few things about viruses.

[Ocean Boy]

Cholera is spread MANY ways. Please check online to all the facts. It is spread by contaminated water, food, and personal contact with someone who is carring the virus. I personally think RCCL should pull the plug on this port for a while! I assure you that if you do get the virus the boat will NOT tell you. Just as my daughter cause the cruise virus that was spread a few years back. We were told it was only "sea sickness" and given dramamine. There is no way they will tell you that you became ill due to their faulty decisions. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE to cruise and the private area of Haiti is one of my favorite places. But, we are leaving 11/14/10 and I honestly hope they will pull this from their itinerary! I know one can choose to stay on the ship but this will not prevent a thing considering how easily spread this virus is. It will only return to the ship with other partakers.

So I honestly advise us all to be very careful and get all the facts!

 

V. Cholera is a bacteria not a virus. HOw about you follow your own advice and check on line for all the facts. including the person to person transmission line of yours.

[Ocean Boy]

I just wondered about the new ship Allure of the Seas... they are scheduled to go to Labadee Haiti...not a good idea....even if you decide not to get off the ship...all it takes is one person to become infected and we will all be infected...not worth the chance...cholera kills almost instantly...unless there is a vaccine..I wont board that ship.....maybe they will go somewhere else....that would be a good idea.....Coco Cay is a better bet......

 

I would be honored to tell you my source...."the State Department"....so your counting my posts....your with Royal Caribbean...am I right......

 

Did you learn those "facts" form the State Departments website also?

[lookgood2]

We should be hearing from Royal Caribbean today.... lets wait and see what happens....I can tell you that whatever the Haitian Government is saying about the epidemic of cholera it is much worse then they are telling everyone because they do not want to lose the cruise ship business so they say " its getting better but you know that isn't true"....

[Ocean Boy]

We should be hearing from Royal Caribbean today.... lets wait and see what happens....I can tell you that whatever the Haitian Government is saying about the epidemic of cholera it is much worse then they are telling everyone because they do not want to lose the cruise ship business so they say " its getting better but you know that isn't true"....

 

And those facts come from where?