Diamond Princess passenger "tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus"

[ceilidh1]

I wonder what would happen if one of the kids on the ship tested positive for the virus? Would they be taken off without a parent? As a single parent that travels alone with 2 kids, I'm not sure how well I could handle knowing that my child was alone in a hospital BUT on the flip side, the other child would be alone on the ship....

[kathy49]

3 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I wonder what would happen if one of the kids on the ship tested positive for the virus? Would they be taken off without a parent? As a single parent that travels alone with 2 kids, I'm not sure how well I could handle knowing that my child was alone in a hospital BUT on the flip side, the other child would be alone on the ship....

wow i hope that does not happen...frankly some of this 66 could be children...there was a woman in her 30's so not limited to older people.  I don't have a clue how that would be handled...if two parents I would think one would go with and other stay with the remaining child or by themselves. Princess must be fielding situations like this minute to minute and I am sure some especially elderly or special needs people need to have someone with them.

Edited February 10, 2020 by kathy49

[clskinsfan]

1 hour ago, npcl said:

Note when I said coming from that one I meant that all of the cases can be traced back to the single source, not that he directly infected all of the individuals, but instead all of the those currently infected, may have caught it from other passengers, but when traced back the source of the infection would have started with that passenger that has been identified.  The source if the infection tree o to speak.

Same with my comment. People seem to think I was saying that one person infected everyone else. That is almost certainly not the case. It was spreading among others as well. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

24 minutes ago, dog said:

Thanks for posting. 

You are certainly welcome. Did I read that correctly. Quarantined since Feb 3rd?

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Just now, twodaywonder said:

You are certainly welcome. Did I read that correctly. Quarantined since Feb 3rd?

Look at the total now.

[clskinsfan]

46 minutes ago, kent9xxx1 said:

 

What?  Wuhan was handling thousands in actual hospital before going to other venues.

Japan can absolutely handle that many people without converting gymnasiums.  Are you saying they have no bed at all?  

We have no idea what Wuhan was doing because they hid it from the world. And lets not forget that they CHOSE to implode their own economy and quarantine a city of 11 million people. That alone should tell you what you need to know about the virus. It is spreading rapidly and easily among the population. 

[kathy49]

6 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

We have no idea what Wuhan was doing because they hid it from the world. And lets not forget that they CHOSE to implode their own economy and quarantine a city of 11 million people. That alone should tell you what you need to know about the virus. It is spreading rapidly and easily among the population. 

what really is tragic is they could have had about a 3 week head start on this had Chinese been open about what was happening. At this point hard to believe much of anything that comes from China and many Chinese feel the same way but don't want to say.

[bluesea321]

Today's (Monday Feb 10) report from the NYT, quite disheartening.

 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/business/coronavirus-japan-cruise-ship.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

 

Cruise Ship’s Coronavirus Outbreak Leaves Crew Nowhere to Hide

"Below decks, the situation is different. There, hundreds of crew members are eating, living and working elbow to elbow as they try to keep life as comfortable as possible for those above. They line up for simple buffet meals and then sit down together to eat. Bathrooms are shared by up to four people, and cabins often by two.

 

By quarantining the ship, the crew members are being forced to stay together, which increases the likelihood of transmission, said John B. Lynch, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington. We have to remember that quarantines protect those outside the quarantine, not those within.

 

Crew members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs, said they had been provided with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, but given little training on how to reduce their chances of infection in a situation of this magnitude. They have received no new guidance since the quarantine began a week ago, according to one employee."

[kathy49]

3 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

Today's (Monday Feb 10) report from the NYT, quite disheartening.

 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/business/coronavirus-japan-cruise-ship.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

 

Cruise Ship’s Coronavirus Outbreak Leaves Crew Nowhere to Hide

"Below decks, the situation is different. There, hundreds of crew members are eating, living and working elbow to elbow as they try to keep life as comfortable as possible for those above. They line up for simple buffet meals and then sit down together to eat. Bathrooms are shared by up to four people, and cabins often by two.

 

By quarantining the ship, the crew members are being forced to stay together, which increases the likelihood of transmission, said John B. Lynch, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington. We have to remember that quarantines protect those outside the quarantine, not those within.

 

Crew members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs, said they had been provided with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, but given little training on how to reduce their chances of infection in a situation of this magnitude. They have received no new guidance since the quarantine began a week ago, according to one employee."

absolute heros here with little choice but to continue to work and they have the highest chance of getting the virus.

[ceilidh1]

I have no medical training and finding it hard to understand this whole thing...I get that the virus has a 14 day incubation period, but what exactly does that mean (in simple terms)? If a passenger was tested on day 1 and came back clear, for example, then could they not have been taken off the ship then? OR does the test not provide conclusive results within the 14 days? If that is the case, then surely the tests that have come back clear are worthless? So sorry for my lack of understanding....I just don't get it!

[Kmkub]

 

17 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

 

Crew members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs, said they had been provided with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, but given little training on how to reduce their chances of infection in a situation of this magnitude. They have received no new guidance since the quarantine began a week ago, according to one employee."

This is hard to hear. Princess has been so busy trying to please the guests, they've forgotten about their own people. Yikes. 

 

This has to be the biggest logistical nightmare the cruise line has ever encountered. 

 

I would think entire point of the quarantine is moot if 1/3 of the people on board are taking no precautions.

 

 

 

[AF-1]

have any other cruise lines had this same issue and docked somewhere in Asia besides Diamond?

[ceilidh1]

Just now, AF-1 said:

have any other cruise lines had this same issue and docked somewhere in Asia besides Diamond?

World Dream, but they have since been cleared

[kathy49]

11 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I have no medical training and finding it hard to understand this whole thing...I get that the virus has a 14 day incubation period, but what exactly does that mean (in simple terms)? If a passenger was tested on day 1 and came back clear, for example, then could they not have been taken off the ship then? OR does the test not provide conclusive results within the 14 days? If that is the case, then surely the tests that have come back clear are worthless? So sorry for my lack of understanding....I just don't get it!

all that was taken on day 1 was temp. you can have the virus in your body incubating for as long as 14 days and it can show up anywhere during that time. They were just establishing a base that no passengers had fever that is really all. Clearly some had the virus and it is manifesting now....the real question is how much now is being spread right on board.

[kathy49]

1 minute ago, AF-1 said:

have any other cruise lines had this same issue and docked somewhere in Asia besides Diamond?

two other ships but I believe they have both been cleared and will be docking etc.

[ed01106]

3 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

 

This is hard to hear. Princess has been so busy trying to please the guests, they've forgotten about their own people. Yikes. 

 

This has to be the biggest logistical nightmare the cruise line has ever encountered. 

 

I would think entire point of the quarantine is moot if 1/3 of the people on board are taking no precautions.

 

 

 

The point of the quarantine is to protect Japan.  There could be an argument made that isolating passengers from each other is pointless if the crew is not isolated from each other and they should end that aspect.  

[AF-1]

I hope Princess does something for these passengers to get them home.  I would think no airline will allow them on once they find out they were on this ship  for two weeks

[bluesea321]

This is not encouraging:

 

"The captain made an announcement that the Japanese authorities were concerned about the new cases," passenger Young Wo-sang of Hong Kong told the South China Morning Post. Young added, "but he stopped short of saying whether we can leave on February 19. So we just don't know when we are going to leave."

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/10/804440928/diamond-princess-cruise-ship-has-65-more-coronavirus-cases-in-japan

[Farts]

For individuals who are interested about legit info:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6905e1.htm?s_cid=mm6905e1_w

 

Mortality rate is about 2.1%. For reference, I think the mortality rate for the flu is about 0.1% iirc, but not exactly sure. 

[perditax]

1 minute ago, kathy49 said:

two other ships but I believe they have both been cleared and will be docking etc.

RC's Anthem is already on its way out to Bermuda. I think that one turned out to be a false alarm, although possibly the full results aren't in yet. I'm guessing it wasn't a full sailing though (RC offered full refunds to anyone who felt like not showing up).

 

I've been wondering since the beginning how on earth the crew could be in quarantine, since people were still needed to prep food, deliver meals, wash dishes, etc. Sounds like the answer is: "they are not in quarantine". Problematic. 

[Farts]

2 hours ago, npcl said:

As they say with the tests they are used in conjunction with clinical observation. Data does show that one can have the virus when showing no symptoms (or atleast not symptoms one would associate with a URI such as the backache later considered a symptom in the case of the original german case of transfer without symptoms.)  So in this case I would wager more on the test than the lack of symptoms.

 

If one is early in the incubation period the odds of a test not detecting the presence is rather high.  Later on, after the virus has multiplied considerably, less so.  With tests of this type you can have swabs taken at individual locations in the mount and throat and have show negative and some show positive.  Reason why when they take the sample they do not just take them from a single spot.

Not sure if they test the actual virus or for the antibody. Do you know? Source?

 

Uptodate just says they do a PCR. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by Farts

[Kmkub]

3 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

The point of the quarantine is to protect Japan.  There could be an argument made that isolating passengers from each other is pointless if the crew is not isolated from each other and they should end that aspect.  

Yes - of course it is. Sorry - this thing is complicated; hard to keep track in my head. 

 

 

[Farts]

3 hours ago, rich_cathybrock said:

Watched David's last 2 videos and the cough appears related to the aircon in the stateroom.  He and his "princess" say the cough passes immediately when they step out onto the balcony.  Begs the question - how are those poor folks managing in inside cabins?  I would have been taken off in a straightjacket myself. 

 

It is amazing what people can endure.  My prayers go out to them all that they can actually get out on the 19th - anyone know if this date is still unchanged as yet?

 

lol, me too. poor ppl. trapped there for >23hrs/day

[mking8288]

Been quietly following this & similar thread for days - on the questions about the 80 years old man that embarked in Japan last month & left the Princess ... I've been searching to help come up with some answers, very limited success or info.  Based on the timeline & info, gathered & complied by CNN - his identity has been known to HK health officials (contact tracing) but it is believed he was infected by someone else, somehow, somehow, earlier in January - was on in China briefly for several hours only.   Details, timelines & particulars are in the article, not going to repeat it.  

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/asia/coronavirus-japan-cruise-intl-hnk/index.html

 

My comments/notes - that suggested/implied he was "probably" across the mainland border in Shenzhen, across Lo Wu border/control point - very easily accessible via direct train in HK ... it's not uncommon for folks to commute back-n-forth on a daily basis, i.e. to study, work & live on the other side, as residents with permission to stay or have families/relatives on the other side. 

 

Thus, he cruised/sailed with his (2) daughters on Diamond Princess, went ashore on Jan. 25 when ship reached HK - did not return/resume the cruise ??   It's not clear whether the daughters (and/or anyone else were traveling together as a "group") stayed on the ship and/or left together (in HK ??) - or, possibly still on the Princess, now held & under quarantine back in Japan.  This is somewhat chilling about the virus being spread, who else already silently & unknowingly exposed, infected and/or already passing it to other - my thoughts only, if the timeline & whereabouts of this "80 y.o." is reasonably accurate.  

 

HK health authorities did not sound overly concerned about the spreading of the virus from this 80 y.o. but rather protecting its own borders from others possibly exposed somehow, somewhere, mainly against mainlanders.  Privacy consideration has not been a strong factor for HK and the press/media will go to length to reveal & unmask the person, even if they have just a tiny bit of info to start their hunt for details - nothing seen, heard, read or posted, yet on social/media channels.  

 

Similar to the US & UK and other countries, HK authorities are trying to come up with aid and repatriation options to extract their own residents currently on the Princess.  Thinking aloud, it would probably ease minds if we know with a high degree of certainly that the daughers are fine, free of virus and not on the ship and/or been screened & re-screened to not be "carriers" spreading it again to others.   Or, did they book only a segment of this Princess cruise, between Japan & HK ??

Edited February 10, 2020 by mking8288

[pablo222]

3 hours ago, kent9xxx1 said:

Did thousands of additional people get infected on land when handling all their land based cases? 
You think the bus driver receive french kiss from the passengers in lieu of fare?  Even so, this is hyperbole at best.  Thousands?  Lol. 

 

Why are you wasting your time on cruisecritic telling the gentle readers this?

I pretty sure no reader here can change anything with regard to the current situation.

 

You need to communicate your comments directly to princess executives, the japanese government and the chinese government.

 

I apologize in advance if your posts are in jest, and you are simply trying to lighten the mood here.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by pablo222