WATCH: 87yo passenger with Covid-19 airlifted from Oceania ship in recovery!

[Tapi]

Hello:

 

I’d like to share a video published today of the 87yo passenger that was airlifted from an Oceania cruise ship about 10 days ago, and taken to a hospital in western Puerto Rico, where  he tested positive for COVID-19.

 

Even with 5 Pre existing medical problems (including heart and lung issues), the man is in recovery and expected to be released this Sunday. 
 

Here is his interview on CBS:

 

[Toranut97]

Thank you so much for posting this. Fascinating interview. So happy for this man, 

 

Donna

[Queen of DaNile]

Very interesting. Great news that he is recovering so nicely. 

[puppycanducruise]

Glad to hear he is recovering.

Thanks for posting.

[LHT28]

Sounds  like  he should not have been cruising in the first place with his medical condition 😲

But good  that he is doing well

He may have had it before boarding the ship

[pingpong1]

Wasn't this passenger the subject of an earlier post/thread about a week or so ago - about the ship having to divert from it's "normal" course and heading at top speed towards PR?  Didn't "the original reporting" at that time say that ship's Captain told everyone that this passenger was having a "heart issue", or have I got my facts "screwed up"?  Regards

[Maverick Cruiser]

I was on this cruise and the Captain told us that this individual had a pre-existing condition and that it was not associated with the illness that is going around.

 

[Maverick Cruiser]

I understand HIPAA laws but I think that we should have been told about this.  There were about 30-40 people on back-to-back cruises and we should have been told so that we could have made an educated decision about staying on or getting off because we could have passed it on to the new passengers.  This is not a venereal disease or a pre-existing condition that is truly not any of our business, but this is a serious pandemic illness that is killing people, we could have been told without us knowing who it was.  This was not his fault, but people who could have been infected did have a right to know.  I am glad he is getting better and I wish him and his wife the best.

[susiesan]

I am going to predict that when this all blows over and cruises resume, all cruise lines will have a very long list of pre existing chronic conditions that will prohibit many elderly people from taking cruises, just like they do with late pregnancies. They are going to have to as the very sick people who cruise are causing massive financial outlays from the cruise lines to take care of them. I predict the medical screening at the docks will be very strict, more than just having people fill out a questionnaire and taking temperatures. They may even have to require doctor letters from everyone a measure of last resort if sick people won't stop cruising. And cruise lines may even have to impose an upper age limit on passengers to cover themselves as a liability issue. Their insurers may force them to impose these measures in the future.

Edited March 21, 2020 by susiesan

[pinotlover]

Far more stupid for this one obviously senile passenger, with a multitude of health issues, to be currently traveling and cruising than the 1000s of young adults on the beaches. Just my opinion! 

[pingpong1]

Hi Maverick - I completely agree with you that in this case (and in many instances in the "corporate world"), there is/was a total lack of transparency and basic honesty.  It is not accidental, but rather purposeful, and done with the sole intent of "protecting the business", rather than protecting and informing the customer/s.  Regards

[seascot]

We were on this cruise, too.  We watched him being airlifted off the ship and not long after that the Captain announced adamantly that the passenger had a heart condition and did NOT have Corona virus.   He updated us a few days later saying the passenger was doing much better having had the appropriate medical treatment.  Two days ago, nine days after having returned home from the cruise, we received an email from Oceania saying we may have come into contact with a passenger who was on our cruise who had the virus.        

[Paulchili]

44 minutes ago, Maverick Cruiser said:

I understand HIPAA laws but I think that we should have been told about this

How could they have told you if they (the Captain) didn't know himself.

In the interview, the patient says that the test took some 6 days to come back. I believe by that time you were off the ship.

Kitty9 in her thread about Riviera notes that this is why passengers received an email from Oceania about a passenger on their cruise that tested positive.

[Paulchili]

37 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I am going to predict that when this all blows over and cruises resume, all cruise lines will have a very long list of pre existing chronic conditions that will prohibit many elderly people from taking cruises, just like they do with late pregnancies. They are going to have to as the very sick people who cruise are causing massive financial outlays from the cruise lines to take care of them. I predict the medical screening at the docks will be very strict, more than just having people fill out a questionnaire and taking temperatures. They may even have to require doctor letters from everyone a measure of last resort if sick people won't stop cruising. And cruise lines may even have to impose an upper age limit on passengers to cover themselves as a liability issue. Their insurers may force them to impose these measures in the future.

This is obviously a very unique set of circumstances and I don't think you can draw such conclusions. Yes, there always have been elderly patients that occasionally had to be disembarked or evacuated and I suspect that will continue to be the case.

You cannot compare this pandemic to anything else we have seen previously unless you were around in 1918.

[susiesan]

1 minute ago, Paulchili said:

This is obviously a very unique set of circumstances and I don't think you can draw such conclusions. Yes, there always have been elderly patients that occasionally had to be disembarked or evacuated and I suspect that will continue to be the case.

You cannot compare this pandemic to anything else we have seen previously unless you were around in 1918.

I know this is a whole new world I the travel biz, but corporations that are losing so much money are going to protect themselves against future known perils like pandemics. Since corona virus may become part of our lives now,  a here to stay disease/condition, it will be like diabetes. people with diabetes who need dialysis cannot cruise except for special "diabetic cruises". Passengers will have to be cleared of any contagious infectious diseases. Cruise companies will have to CYA.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Maverick Cruiser said:

I understand HIPAA laws but I think that we should have been told about this.  There were about 30-40 people on back-to-back cruises and we should have been told so that we could have made an educated decision about staying on or getting off because we could have passed it on to the new passengers. 

 I am guessing here  but  at the time  they did  not know he had the virus

In the interview he said  it took 6 days after  he arrived  at the hospital to confirm he was infected

 He had other things  that the doctor onboard  thought was the cause of his condition 

 

My unprofessional opinion  is he probably had it  when he left San Diego

[Paulchili]

11 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Passengers will have to be cleared of any contagious infectious diseases.

This is obvious and very different from stopping 70+ year old people with stable medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, emphysema, etc.

Stopping that population from cruising based on prohibiting people with stable chronic illnesses from cruising alone would put the cruise lines out of business. All that would be left are Caribbean cruises for the families and the young people.

[ORV]

2 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

This is obvious and very different from stopping 70+ year old people with stable medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, emphysema, etc.

Stopping that population from cruising based on prohibiting people with stable chronic illnesses from cruising alone would put the cruise lines out of business. All that would be left are Caribbean cruises for the families and the young people.

Yes, what you state Paul should be obvious, but apparently some people can't understand simple things. Cruise lines are not going to cut off their nose to spite their face. They already are doing a pretty good job of CYA. 

[Toranut97]

We should also note that the cruiser in question said in the interview that his insurance covered the airlifting and transport, etc. 

 

Perhaps, rather than anticipating a ban on older passengers with preexisting conditions , the cruise lines might explore requiring appropriate travel insurance for such passengers.

 

just a thought.

 

Donna

[Paulchili]

14 minutes ago, ORV said:

Yes, what you state Paul should be obvious, but apparently some people can't understand simple things. Cruise lines are not going to cut off their nose to spite their face. They already are doing a pretty good job of CYA. 

So what would happen if a 70+ year old with some chronic illnesses gets a clearing letter from his MD that he is stable and cleared to sail but then gets Noro and infects the ship.

Will they make him pay for the cost of medical care of all cruisers that need it? Throw him overboard? Jail him?

What can or will they do to him? Or will they stop him from cruising altogether because of his age and stable chronic illness?

That would put cruise lines in a lot of financial trouble based on who I see cruising on most ships. I know that I couldn't cruise and have currently 4 O cruises booked - not to mention what we might have in the future. And I am sure I am not alone.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Paulchili

[Tapi]

5 minutes ago, Toranut97 said:

Perhaps, rather than anticipating a ban on older passengers with preexisting conditions , the cruise lines might explore requiring appropriate travel insurance for such passengers.

 

just a thought.

 

Donna

I like the way you think. 

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Far more stupid for this one obviously senile passenger, with a multitude of health issues, to be currently traveling and cruising than the 1000s of young adults on the beaches. Just my opinion! 

Did you listen to the interview? Definitely not senile. I won't disagree that him cruising and traveling at this time is a really bad idea. 

[Paulchili]

9 minutes ago, Toranut97 said:

We should also note that the cruiser in question said in the interview that his insurance covered the airlifting and transport, etc. 

 

Perhaps, rather than anticipating a ban on older passengers with preexisting conditions , the cruise lines might explore requiring appropriate travel insurance for such passengers.

 

just a thought.

 

Donna

This makes more sense than a simple ban.

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Far more stupid for this one obviously senile passenger...

I’m half that man’s age, and I think that he sounds more eloquent and coherent than a lot of people my age. Far from senile. 

[Hawaiidan]

34 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

This is obvious and very different from stopping 70+ year old people with stable medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, emphysema, etc.

Stopping that population from cruising based on prohibiting people with stable chronic illnesses from cruising alone would put the cruise lines out of business. All that would be left are Caribbean cruises for the families and the young people.

True...however take a look at  the restrictions for shore excursions...   with age, weight and pre existing conditions  as dis qualifiers  for participation.   

  My personal take is to allow travel as long as you want to travel...  I have seen 95 year olds in fare better condition than many 50 and 60 's    Its not relative to age.