fragilek

On here several mentions of how the diamond passengers badly affected were elderly. Just an update from Germany.  Their latest case is a 25yr old man from italy who was diagnosed yesterday and is now critical. One report has stated he had no underlying health issues  although i cant see how that would be known by the press.

A boy of 16 from the ship has now tested positive in HK

And an 8th Australian 

just read that a 2nd diamond  passenger has tested positive in Israel.

 Just on the news that 2 hotels in Alssio  Italy in have been told to quarantine tourists and employees - things like that will become a real headache/ worry for those planning  to stay for a few days ahead of their cruises

14 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

My sister works in Italy as an interpreter. She says that everything is quite calm there and nothing to worry about. I mean a few sick people wont make up a crisis. Dont be fulled my mass media and fake news

 It depends on where in Italy.  My SIL is in the midst of all of this - only a few Km from lock-down.  I have had to find hand wash to send out - there is non in the shops no masks either - the shops have now been more or less cleared out of food.  All schools, uni churches restaurants have been closed. Even in Milan the Schools and Unis are closed my BIL is a lecturer and is now off.  My niece is a nurse there and I can assure you they are concerned. 

1 minute ago, npcl said:

So she did complete the process.  What about the others?

 I thought it was you who was claiming that none of the people on repatriation flights had been released. 

2 minutes ago, npcl said:

For quarantine to be completed they had to go through the Japanese completion process including a final round of testing after the 14 day period.  One of the reasons the 2000 passengers were released over the span of a few days.  

 

Any time one does not complete the entire process, including the release testing and process, quarantine is broken.

 

They spent the days, but were released to their country without going through the final testing and release.

 some people being evacuated spent time wondering around japan first awaiting other family to be released so they were allowed on the same reparation flights. So I expect that some must have had Japanese release from quarantine.  Again we will not know the exact figures of how may tested negative  then positive and the timing between these results until every piece of data is properly analyzed. No one can make factual statements otherwise.

7 minutes ago, npcl said:

To complete the quarantine, they had to be tested at the end of the quarantine period.  Had that result be negative and then released by the Japanese from quarantine.  None of those evac went through that process.  The Japanese did not release any who had cabin mates that had developed illness during the quarantine period.  Any in that group should have had to go through another full quarantine period.

 

The  countries doing evacs at most required a negative test, but not necessarily a recent negative test.  Even those that got the results back on day 15, actually had their tests taken several days earlier. so that time needs to be considered. In the case of the 14 Americans their samples were actually taken 3 days before they got the results on the tarmac.

 So the people that were released on day 14 to wonder round japan for a few days until their repatriation flights took place 2 days latter were never released by Japan.

7 minutes ago, npcl said:

However, they did not finish on the ship and did not go through final testing prior to Japanese release. So who knows if they would have passed the final release tests.  Some of those that boarded the evac flights had been tested negative, but earlier in the quarantine period.  So they had negative tests but not recent negative tests. Unfortunately we do not have the data that shows dates at which they tested negative.

 

So far of those released only 1 has later tested positive and that one was similar to those that went on evac flights in that they tested negative earlier in the quarantine, and due to an administrative error was not retested prior to release, which they should have been.

 what do you mean by  not finishing on the ship & final testing - they completed their 14 days (16 in UK case) & only  one round of testing was being undertaken, yes some may have been tested earlier, however, some may not we will have to wait and see once all this is over.  Some of those on the repatriation flights were in fact released but could not join the first round of flights because other family members in other cabins had not been released. These people were allowed to wait it out in hotels to join the later flights home (I was following some on twitter who had to do this the went walking on their 1st day off taking photos and out for dinner- They had to wait 2 days until other family got the all clear results to fly home on a 2nd repatriation flight).  I don't think you can call it either way until the analysis of who was tested when has been undertaken

1 minute ago, npcl said:

So far the track record of those that completed quarantine, has been better than those that evacuated prior to the end of quarantine.

 

Imagine if the government's had done what some wanted and evacuated early in the first few days, when few had been tested and their certainly been positive cases among the evacuees.

 

I think it was a mistake to evacuate before quarantine ended. They should have had everyone complete the quarantine, then once cleared and released by the Japanese then evac them back to their countries. where if each country wanted to go through another quarantine, though the record from those released probably would not have been needed.

 

Certainly making the offer to those not testing positive, prior to all being tested was not a smart way to structure the evac on the part of the US. 

 Just to clarify at least 11 people who stayed on the ship for 14 or more days since the quarantine was introduced, who had negative tests before leaving the ship tested positive on re-entry (testing done within 24hrs of leaving the ship)- to their own countries.

3 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

thank you..i have read many sources indicating these tests are not accurate..in fact experts in Omaha retested all of their people as the tests were not the best one.

Correct guidance is min 2 tests if there is reason to except that person is( high chance of being) infected. That's why the Japanese ( and others who chose not to go home )just being allowed to walk off the ship is so baffling.

5 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

I just don't understand why they could not have waited for this operation until all the pending tests were completed. It sounds like it was a matter of a short time.

Agreed that would have been a different plan and was the one used by most other countries( and had I been an evacuees my favoured one especially as I like some would have stayed in my cabin the whole time).  However, we now know that the test results were not conclusive either, it's like a circle there is no end.   A puzzle with no right answers

That's a few countries issued warnings against travel to infected parts of italy, which means no insurance if you travel against this advice. Also Mauritius has refused entry to a plane from italy unless passengers willing to undergo quarantine. The plane has returned to italy. 

If this continues for any length of time cruise lines will start to feel the impact

Just now, seapals2 said:

 

https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/291436/diamond-princess-crew-allowed-to-return-home-as-coronavirus-claims-3rd-life-in-japan/

 

 

May be next phase of quarantine now seen as something their home countries need to deal with. Not sure any commercial airline will be too happy to fly them.

Need to watch and see I suppose , just hoping mo more strange descion are made.

1 hour ago, rickays said:

 

I think people are confusing testing (as per a lab test) and screening (as per temp & illness screening)  Westerdam passengers were not lab tested before the initial passengers left Cambodia, only the remaining passengers and crew had lab tests.  I think, not all Diamond Princess passengers that were evacuated by different countries actually had a lab test but only had screening, that could be why some are now having lab tests and coming up positive.

 

See below

 

https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/291186/cambodia-781-westerdam-passengers-test-negative-for-coronavirus/

        Westerdam was allowed to dock in Cambodia on February 13 after it had been banned from several other   ports due to the coronavirus threat. Prior to arrival in Sihanoukville, all 2,257 passengers and crew were screened for illness including the taking of individual temperatures. No individual at that time was identified with an elevated temperature. On February 14, Westerdam received clearance to begin disembarkation.

All UK Hk and Aus had to have an actual test that was negative before being allowed to board. At least 10 have been retested on arrival home and are now positive. I have been following a few on twitter while they awaited results and they all knew a negative was a condition of being allowed on their repatriation flights.

I do not know about others except that us did not require testing

3 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

i think conventional wisdom would say it was two fold...to keep them apart from the country of Japan and its citizens...and secondly to keep them from each other ie to not spread the virus on board. failure.

Agreed - Yes obviously the main objective was quarantine, however, if i wasn't also a target to stop spread on the ship - why bother with masks, cabin confinement, deck schedules etc. They were attempting to do both but I think completely underestimated how infectious this virus is, the data (from China) they had to go on was unreliable at best.

6 minutes ago, kathy49 said:

I was catching up and couple that were doing videos from their cabin showing how they and their neighbors had open arrangement between two cabins...well at least one is in hospital with the virus...not sure about the others.I could not understand how they thought that was a good idea.

 There were several cases like this- These were all documented/photographed or videoed by the people doing it and posted on their on twitter or face books- 

Banana passed down balconies

food swapped from one room to another 

Banner held out across balconies

Family from 2 different rooms hugging when they met on deck

 The one below was a photo in the press

Face masks off and hanging down  on the buses to airport

47 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

We are cruising to Venice in March. Looking with concern at the developments in Italy. 

My family live just north of Milan, and we are getting updates from them last count 132 infected.  Shelves  in supermarkets quickly emptying.  No hand sanitizer left in shops.  My niece is a nurse in a large hospital in Como and they are all on alert.  The Venice carnival has been suspended and all football matches are now canceled in the region. Uni in Milan closed and exams dates moved my BIL is a lecturer there.  Some towns now have road blocks and permission required to come or go. Austria is now looking at closing the road boarder with Italy as one case is only a few Km away. There are now cases in Venice itself.

If they are going to this effort I would expect that the government will be assessing the risk of allowing ships to roam from port to port in Italy. And I expect other countries will feel the same especially as a large number of the passengers will be Italian

16 minutes ago, alicat58 said:

According to the Costa Press on their site they are checking passengers temperatures with a scanner as they board. It did not seem only for far East but all cruises. They also have a lower temperature threshold than MSC for example. Costa is something like 37.8 and MSC 38. 

 

Most doctors would not consider a patient to "run a temperature" unless 38 or higher. 

 

I am quite worried about our upcoming cruise and the Milan situation. Venice is in lock down now.

 

I will start a thread later to let people know how things are going.

 

Riana

 My family live just north of Milan, and we are getting updates from them last count 132 infected.  Shelves  in supermarkets quickly emptying.  No hand sanitizer left in shops.  My niece is a nurse in a large hospital in Como and they are all on alert.  The Venice carnival has been suspended and all football matches are now canceled in the region. Uni in Milan closed and exams dates moved my BIL is a lecturer there.  Some towns now have road blocks and permission required to come or go. Austria is now looking at closing the road boarder with Italy as one case is only a few Km away.

If they are going to this effort I would expect that the government will be assessing the risk of allowing ships to roam from port to port in Italy especially as there is a case inland 1/2 way between Genoa and Savona.

 Not sure where in Spain you are going but I thought the ports may be a bit resorty for us .  I couldn't have been more wrong. Malaga was beautiful and we loved Cadiz too.  If stopping at either of them google a few photos before writing them off.  We were so impressed are actually thinking of a week or so  touring about Malaga to Seville

3 minutes ago, npcl said:

Just to be precise -  so far we have 1 passenger, that completed quarantine in Japan on the Diamond that has tested positive after leaving.  

 

There are several that left prior to completion of the quarantine and transferred by their home country for quarantine on land that have since tested positive.

 I didn't keep complete check of the dates but I know the Australians got their results on the ship on the Feb 19th the day they were meant to leave. They said day 15 on their blog - but may be you know the day the quarantine was started to check that out. If the people talking about what was happening are correct then the 7 Australians did complete their quarantine time before leaving the ship and becoming positive.   I have been following this lovely family and hoping for the best outcome possible for them.

2 minutes ago, seapals2 said:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/passenger-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-leaving-ship-japan-1.4823251?cache=

 

... and so the next phase begins .. this passenger left the ship and travelled by train.  !! 

 And unfortunately I don't think this will be an isolated indecent in Japan

4 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

According to the Japan Times:

 

"The 23 passengers had been tested before Feb. 5, but results came back negative. Having negative results was a condition to be allowed to get off the cruise liner. The ministry found out that the 23 were not tested again after Feb. 5 after reviewing information about the passengers who disembarked."

 

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

 

I just wonder if it means some who were tested away at the start were meant to be retested but some where missed.

I have not seen or heard of any who were tweeting ever mentioning a retest.

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

so, have all passengers disembarked from the ship and now the staff and crew are undergoing their own 14 day quarantine ?

I just read on cnn that about 30 still o  board

13 minutes ago, phil the brit said:

 

 

No, another link that cannot be opened, can people stop doing this with paid for only links .............please??

 try a different browser I can open free