Princess Cruise to Hawaii: pneumonia 11 out of a group of 20

[madyson007]

My in-laws just returned from a trip to Hawaii on Princess. They were a group of 20 and 11 returned sick as a dog....pneumonia. Four were hospitalized? Anyone else just get back from Hawaii sick? That seems like an alarming number to me.

[elaine5]

Are they confirmed for pneumonia and not legionnaires? P is not usually highly contagious. I have read about L on cruise ships from shower heads and maybe air vents. They definitely need to report back to cruise line and maybe even cdc so that ship can inspect shower and vents and disinfect.

[madyson007]

Are they confirmed for pneumonia and not legionnaires? P is not usually highly contagious. I have read about L on cruise ships from shower heads and maybe air vents. They definitely need to report back to cruise line and maybe even cdc so that ship can inspect shower and vents and disinfect.

Legionnaires was something that crossed my mind as well but I don't know if they would automatically test for that? The 4 that were hospitalized only one was in the city they docked. The rest traveled back to different states and then went to the hospital. So I am not even sure they would make any connection.

[elaine5]

They should inform their dr. You are correct, L is not a normal thing automatically considered. But when I told dh (medical field) 11/20 had P and asked if it was that contagious, he immediately asked if it could be L. All should tell their dr that they were on cruiseship with 11/20 diagnosed with P and ask about legionnaires. Esp if they were all in similar area of cabins.

Dh said pertussis is also highly contagious. Many elderly have not been vaccinated for it. Kids routinely get vaccinated for it.

Edited May 8, 2018 by elaine5

[Lucky TGO]

Please keep us posted. What a terrible thing to have happened to anyone person but 11 out of 20 wow.

I hope everyone gets better soon!!!

Tony

[Woobstr112G]

Hoping for a quick recovery for all.....:):):)

 

Bob

[stevenr597]

If it was Legionnairres disease, I would expect a much larger number of individuals to be affected in that it would be distrubted through the air conditioning system throughout the ship. It it was Pneumonia, was it a lobar or bacterial pneumonia in which the individual runs a high fever and is quite sick, or perhaps the much milder Mycoplasma or Walking Pneumonia. Another possibility is a viral pneumonia. Influenza can also manifest as pneumonia and result in hospitalization, especially in older individuals.

 

I do hope that Princess was made aware of the problem. I am sure that the individuals who saw a physician or were hospitalized would have notified the health authorities that they had recently traveled via ship, and the necessary tests could be done.

[moki'smommy]

As implied above, "pneumonia" simply means a lung infection. It is not a full diagnosis. The infection can be from any number of different bacteria or viruses. It can be transmitted thru the air conditioning system, thru an infected individual coughing and others inhaling the agent, etc.

 

Yes, 11 of 20 is certainly a significant number. However, these people were probably doing many things together during the cruise, and possibly infecting each other. It would certainly be appropriate to more fully characterize the disease (was it bacterial? What bacteria? or was it viral?), and to notify the cruise line of the issue. If it was something in the air conditioning system, it would have been expected to affect many more patients than just this group of 20.

 

Did this group see the doc on the ship or otherwise alert Princess to the problem. It is hypothetically possible that many people could have been ill but didn't seek medical attention on board. In this case, Princess might not have any idea of the issue and since these people would seek care in many parts of the country, it is unlikely that the situation would have been reported to the USPH authorities!

[Bardou544]

As implied above' date=' "pneumonia" simply means a lung infection. It is not a full diagnosis. The infection can be from any number of different bacteria or viruses. It can be transmitted thru the air conditioning system, thru an infected individual coughing and others inhaling the agent, etc.

 

Yes, 11 of 20 is certainly a significant number. However, these people were probably doing many things together during the cruise, and possibly infecting each other. It would certainly be appropriate to more fully characterize the disease (was it bacterial? What bacteria? or was it viral?), and to notify the cruise line of the issue. If it was something in the air conditioning system, it would have been expected to affect many more patients than just this group of 20.

 

Did this group see the doc on the ship or otherwise alert Princess to the problem. It is hypothetically possible that many people could have been ill but didn't seek medical attention on board. In this case, Princess might not have any idea of the issue and since these people would seek care in many parts of the country, it is unlikely that the situation would have been reported to the USPH authorities![/quote']What ship were they on?

 

 

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[caribill]

Were the 11 staying in cabins near each other?

 

If not, it is doubtful that they were infected due to anything in the air conditioning in their cabins.

 

Q&A on the Internet:

Catching pneumonia. The germs that can cause pneumonia are usually breathed in. People often have small amounts of germs in their nose and throat that can be passed on through: coughs and sneezes – these launch tiny droplets of fluid containing germs into the air, which someone else can breathe in.

[Belle]

Did they fly to the port? You get so many things from the air on a plane.

Doesn't have to be from the ship.

[neverbeenhere]

There is clearly more to this story.

[susancruzs]

Which ship? I'm curious because I was on the Emerald for 30 days in March, then the ship did a 30 day from LA to Hawaii, Tahiti, back to LA. I think the Star is in Hawaii also besides the Emerald.

 

I went to the doctor twice on my Emerald cruise, a vicious infection, horrible cough, which happens to me if I have sinus issues. I can't get a simple cold, with a runny nose, I get an infection. I came home, still coughing, went to my doctor to make sure I didn't have pneumonia or something worse.

 

When I to deck 4, it was so busy they were setting up folding chairs. I've been on long cruises before but this was the worst I've seen with people sick and coughing. I enjoyed my cruise, as I never had a fever, only the bad cough, although I spent more time in my cabin than normal, and didn't do any day long excursions.

[madyson007]

The 4 that were hospitalized are elderly. They said the ship was extremely cold much more so than anything they had experience before. That was the only unusual thing they remarked on. They are seasoned travelers. They did inform the doctor that they had been on a cruise. Since 1 was hospitalized in San Fransisco the city they disembarked from I would think that doctors asked the appropriate questions about which ship etc... My father in law was flown home with oxygen and a nurse and seems to be doing well. My mother in-law did not enter the hospital until after she had flown home. Both have been released and are now doing well. That's all the information I have. Not all 11 were diagnosed with pneumonia....some had bronchitis, others were just sick. They all had fevers, they all received some kind of antibiotic.

[elliair]

My in-laws just returned from a trip to Hawaii on Princess. They were a group of 20 and 11 returned sick as a dog....pneumonia. Four were hospitalized? Anyone else just get back from Hawaii sick? That seems like an alarming number to me.

 

Sounds like they were on the Grand Princess as that's the only Princess ship that cruises to Hawaii out of San Francisco. We'll be boarding her next Wednesday for Alaska. The Grand is a bit tired, but leaving out of San Francisco is convenient for us.

[Micahs Grandad]

We were on the Grand in February and there were a large number of cases of flu and medical center rather crowded according to friend we were traveling with.

[beaglesandducks]

We were just on the Grand april 14-29 I did get a bad cough, laryngitis, & sinus infection after leaving Hilo on the way back to SF I am prone to sinus infections but not laryngitis & cough Went to ship’s dr and got z pack & cough syrup. No fever There were not many folks at medical ctr. It was very cold in the stateroom we were in on fiesta deck. Lots of folks coughing on debark excursion.

 

 

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[Belle]

Was on the Grand Feb. 6th to March 5th.2018... 35 days. Wasn't aware of any sickness going around.

No alerts about anything.

 

There is so many reasons why people get sick on cruise ships.

[TracieABD]

I do hope all are on the mend now.

 

I am much more afraid of getting sick from flying than on a cruise ship. With that said, I adhere to a strict set of rules- the first being : Touch nothing. I also refrain from eating in the buffet, taking elevators, and sit in aisle seats in the theaters.

 

I caught a really bad cold (possibly the flu) on a Caribbean cruise in Jan of 2015. It was miserable being sick on a ship. And now I bring my own Kleenex.

[susancruzs]

Thanks OP for the update, glad your family is on the mend.

[stevenr597]

The 4 that were hospitalized are elderly. They said the ship was extremely cold much more so than anything they had experience before. That was the only unusual thing they remarked on. They are seasoned travelers. They did inform the doctor that they had been on a cruise. Since 1 was hospitalized in San Fransisco the city they disembarked from I would think that doctors asked the appropriate questions about which ship etc... My father in law was flown home with oxygen and a nurse and seems to be doing well. My mother in-law did not enter the hospital until after she had flown home. Both have been released and are now doing well. That's all the information I have. Not all 11 were diagnosed with pneumonia....some had bronchitis, others were just sick. They all had fevers, they all received some kind of antibiotic.

 

The more we find out, the stronger the possibility that it may have been Influenza. We recently, as a population got hit rather hard with Influenza H3N2 for which the Influenza Vaccine offered a protection to only about 30% of those receiving it. Once this type had started to decline, we are now getting hit with Influenza B, less common, but it can be severe.

 

Influenza especially this year has hit the population, especially the young and old quite hard, and has resulted in numerous hospitalizations.

 

There are several different tests that can be done to make this diagnosis. Hopefully the hospital did rule it in or out.

[moki'smommy]

 

There are several different tests that can be done to make this diagnosis. Hopefully the hospital did rule it in or out.

This is the point. We can hypothesize for the next month as to what the responsible agent was, but without the test results, we are just naming possibilities.

 

Bottom line...2 people could have contracted a virus at the airport, on the plane, at the cruise terminal, etc. and proceeded to spread it around the trip We'll never know.

[stevenr597]

This is the point. We can hypothesize for the next month as to what the responsible agent was' date=' but without the test results, we are just naming possibilities.

 

Bottom line...2 people could have contracted a virus at the airport, on the plane, at the cruise terminal, etc. and proceeded to spread it around the trip We'll never know.[/quote']

 

The individual who opened this blog had asked some questions in respect to any thoughts about what caused this mass outbreak. Many individuals have given some possible answers. It seems, for some reason that you are annoyed at such. If this is indeed the case, why respond at all?

[Micahs Grandad]

Was on the Grand Feb. 6th to March 5th.2018... 35 days. Wasn't aware of any sickness going around.

No alerts about anything.

 

There is so many reasons why people get sick on cruise ships.

 

You were on the ship with us going to Hawaii than.

 

Ship ran out of the vaccine they give to make flu symptoms less severe.

[beaglesandducks]

This is the point. We can hypothesize for the next month as to what the responsible agent was' date=' but without the test results, we are just naming possibilities.

 

 

 

Bottom line...2 people could have contracted a virus at the airport, on the plane, at the cruise terminal, etc. and proceeded to spread it around the trip We'll never know.[/quote']

 

 

 

Excellent points Whenever i travel by plane or ship i always get “something” i always blamed airlines but on cruise-ships conditions are similar It is a potential hazard of cruising, but has not stopped me (yet!!) Hope all are on the mend and feeling much better.

 

 

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