News on the Westerdam

[Caymus88]

8 hours ago, hal2008 said:

 

Yes. Official statement came from the Governor of the territory.

 

They were mot eqipped to handle any potential health emergency.

Given that more resourceful countries were denying porting, this was reasonable stand.

Having seen how Pueto Rico has been treated, Guam knows that they will have bigger challenge getting any help from this adminstration.

Oh brother. 

[hal2008]

9 hours ago, Moparop said:

there was a health screening for those folks when they got off the plane. Just heard from my parents again!

 

The so-called health screening can only detect people with very obvious symptoms.

Thermal scan does not even measure core body temperature.

Plus, it can be easily suppressed by taking Tylenol ab hour before landing.

 

The so-called "Health Screening" is more or less like TSA "Security Checks".  Although they obviously do the screening, it is done more for optics than the real prevention.

 

Glad your parents will finally come home.

 

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by hal2008

[hal2008]

3 hours ago, dado123456 said:

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) is no longer recommending passengers from the Holland America Westerdam cruise ship undertake 14 days of self-isolation on return to Australia to manage novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

 

https://www.health.gov.au/news/westerdam-cruise-ship-passengers

 

Very interesting.

It is not that they are removing "required", they are now removing even the "recommended" part.

That means they are putting lot more weight (and trust) in 1400+ tests done by Combodia vs few tests done on single pax by Malaysia.

Given that CDC also agrees with them, WD pax must seen as little risk.

[Viv0828]

i wonder what is happening with the crew and how they are feeling? have not seen any info about them.

[AncientWanderer]

Not sure which of the threads to post this, but just wanted to give credit where credit is due.

We had good customer service from HAL with regard to our cancelled Westerdam cruise.  I know situations varied depending on air fare, insurance, cancel dates, etc., but in our case we were pleased with the courtesy we were shown from the HAL reps and were A-OK with what they came up with to make us semi-whole.  Sad we won't see Japan this year, but hopefully will in the future.

[JennAngel9]

9 minutes ago, Viv0828 said:

i wonder what is happening with the crew and how they are feeling? have not seen any info about them.

I saw yesterday that several hundred crew also tested negative.

[bennybear]

10 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

Not sure which of the threads to post this, but just wanted to give credit where credit is due

 

Agreed,  we really didn’t need another thread.   This seems to be the main one with the most up to date info,  some of the new threads are a day or so behind it the news.

Glad to hear you were treated well.

[dado123456]

747 crew members exactly.

All negative to Covid-19.

Ship will leave in a few days.

I guess they'll sail to US now

[Wehwalt]

It is starting to look like the Malaysian test was incorrect, which casts a whole new light on the negative comments that have been made concerning the Westerdam passengers getting to go home, for example, but not limited to, in the media.

[T8NCruise]

46 minutes ago, bennybear said:

 

Agreed,  we really didn’t need another thread.   This seems to be the main one with the most up to date info,  some of the new threads are a day or so behind it the news.

Glad to hear you were treated well.

 

Totally.  The other thread was started with a rather arrogant message about 5 pages on this thread not being worth reading, so I stick to this one anyway!

[Wehwalt]

Just now, T8NCruise said:

 

Totally.  The other thread was started with a rather arrogant message about 5 pages on this thread not being worth reading, so I stick to this one anyway!

I wonder how far into the thread he got?

[dado123456]

2 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

It is starting to look like the Malaysian test was incorrect, which casts a whole new light on the negative comments that have been made concerning the Westerdam passengers getting to go home, for example, but not limited to, in the media.

Really puzzling thing. I wonder if we'll ever find out what really happened.

In theory, all scenarios are possible.

[kazu]

59 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

I wonder how far into the thread he got?

 

When the new thread was started, he referenced the last 5 pages (the most recent ones at the time).   

[kazu]

2 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

Not sure which of the threads to post this, but just wanted to give credit where credit is due.

We had good customer service from HAL with regard to our cancelled Westerdam cruise.  I know situations varied depending on air fare, insurance, cancel dates, etc., but in our case we were pleased with the courtesy we were shown from the HAL reps and were A-OK with what they came up with to make us semi-whole.  Sad we won't see Japan this year, but hopefully will in the future.

 

That’s good to hear.

 

Thank you for posting this.

 

There are Japan sailings in the fall on the Noordam assuming they are not cancelled.

 

It will depend on the development of covid 19 I suspect.  I hope things improve as it is a lovely itinerary (we’re booked) but if things have not improved, we too won’t be going.

 

 

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, dado123456 said:

Really puzzling thing. I wonder if we'll ever find out what really happened.

In theory, all scenarios are possible.

 

I’m thinking cross-contamination.

[lvz2cruz]

I never understood how just one person tested positive and as days passed and no one else did, it became more and more doubtful.   

[Hlitner]

5 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

It is starting to look like the Malaysian test was incorrect, which casts a whole new light on the negative comments that have been made concerning the Westerdam passengers getting to go home, for example, but not limited to, in the media.

Am curious where you found this info about the Malaysian test being a false positive.  The last we heard, the lady was hospitalized with symptoms.  What we found interesting is that her partner was diagnosed with pneumonia and tested negative for the virus.  The reports from the Westy had consistently been that everyone was healthy....but we wonder if pneumonia in somebody over 80 would ever be called "healthy."  

 

 

Hank

[Nn2036]

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/us-cruise-ship-passenger-in-malaysia-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19-clear-of-virus?cx_testId=80&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=2?hpcx_hdb_sep19#cxrecs_s

 

 

She is now tested negative but still have symptoms. She probably has other virus.

[JennAngel9]

14 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Am curious where you found this info about the Malaysian test being a false positive.  The last we heard, the lady was hospitalized with symptoms.  What we found interesting is that her partner was diagnosed with pneumonia and tested negative for the virus.  The reports from the Westy had consistently been that everyone was healthy....but we wonder if pneumonia in somebody over 80 would ever be called "healthy."  

 

 

Hank

I wouldn't bet my life on it either way, but it is now being widely reported that the the Malaysian woman was "cleared" (not entirely clear if she never had it or if they are just saying she now doesn't have it-- but the latter is significantly less likely than the former).

 

[*Miss G*]

17 hours ago, dado123456 said:

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the 83-year-old woman who is currently being treated at the Sungai Buloh Hospital has been tested repeatedly for Covid-19, with the results showing that she is clear of the virus.

 

“Her tests have come up negative. However, she is still being kept in hospital because she is not that well and still has symptoms.

 

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/02/21/wan-azizah-american-in-malaysia-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19-clear-of-virus

 

[bcummin]

On 2/20/2020 at 8:43 AM, bcummin said:

.  .  .  Only one Westerdam passenger has tested positive, and that was in Malaysia.

The simple explanation is that  either Holland America deserves far more credit than is being given, or the contagious virus was not onboard the Westerdam.  The truth may be more complex.

Barbara

(P.S. My heart is still questioning the double diagnosis in Malaysia.  It is certainly possible, but it does not fit my train of thought.  .  . )

 

Nobody has used the words "false positive."  I had questioned the two positive tests for the lady in Malaysia.  Since then, she has tested negative.  And others also seem to be questioning how she could have tested positive while no others have from the Westerdam.

 

Barbara

Edited February 22, 2020 by bcummin

[Wehwalt]

33 minutes ago, JennAngel9 said:

I wouldn't bet my life on it either way, but it is now being widely reported that the the Malaysian woman was "cleared" (not entirely clear if she never had it or if they are just saying she now doesn't have it-- but the latter is significantly less likely than the former).

 

Why?

[JennAngel9]

4 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

Why?

Assuming you mean the latter is less likely-- because she hasn't actually made a recovery of symptoms, so if the symptoms were driven by the virus, it's unlikely she would have tested positive and then suddenly tested negative without getting the actual disease under control.

I'm not confident it's a false positive (it could also be a false negative) but it's supposed to be easiest to identify after the symptoms advance as it multiplies, so very strange that she would get an accurate + followed by an accurate - if she's still fairly sick.  Does that make sense? I'm not a doctor-- just applying what I've digested from the recent articles about transmission and test reliability. 

[rjbean4]

I have been following this thread but have not posted anything. But I did just check Marine Traffic and it is showing that the Westerdam has sailed. Now the question is to where.

[sailingdutchy]

9 hours ago, hal2008 said:

 

Very interesting.

It is not that they are removing "required", they are now removing even the "recommended" part.

That means they are putting lot more weight (and trust) in 1400+ tests done by Combodia vs few tests done on single pax by Malaysia.

Given that CDC also agrees with them, WD pax must seen as little risk.

 

We were just told the same tonight by the Ontario Health Ministry  after earlier today they said it was a good idea to self impose another 14 days , the same peson called me back tonight .

 

Also there was an article in USA Today that the lady in Kuala Lumpur has not had the virus as far as they can see the last few days . It makes 100% sense that she was a false positive . She is still in hospital for different issues !