Ship Cough could it be the Air Conditioning

[Ethel5]

It hasn't been determined that there is a problem with the ship. It could be a people problem either on ship or on shore. All it takes is one good sneeze or cough to spread the germs. :rolleyes:

[chengkp75]

It hasn't been determined that there is a problem with the ship. It could be a people problem either on ship or on shore. All it takes is one good sneeze or cough to spread the germs. :rolleyes:

 

That's what I was trying to point out. The reason the USPH/CDC doesn't spend as much time broadcasting respiratory illness on cruise ships as they do noro, is that it is not a big concern for them, at least as far as the ship being a transmission vector. Living in Maine, we don't have all that much a/c in our houses, so when I travel to places that do, and have to move from hot outside to a/c inside, I tend to get sniffles and coughs. I put way more of this down to "traveler's illness" where a change in environment causes your immune system to react differently to different conditions and different strains of virus, bacteria, molds and allergens. From my observations, the crew tends to be pretty healthy in general, supporting my theory that it is the changes that affect you, since the crew is in the ship's environment all the time.

[kruisey]

My thoughts exactly...

On the cruise I was on at least 50 percent or more of crew and passengers got it

[Ethel5]

On the cruise I was on at least 50 percent or more of crew and passengers got it

 

If 50% were sick it would have been reported to the CDC and been all over the news. Where did you get this figure?

[Colo Cruiser]

On the cruise I was on at least 50 percent or more of crew and passengers got it

 

 

Right, how do you know that?

[kruisey]

If 50% were sick it would have been reported to the CDC and been all over the news. Where did you get this figure?

 

There were over 50% on board who had this cough to various degrees.This was Singapore to Vancouver 2012.

Have spoken about this before on earlier threads.Will not bring details up again because the thread will disappear.

Although folks enjoy their vacation it would be nicer if one could find the source of this cough.

[Kenswing]

There were over 50% on board who had this cough to various degrees.This was Singapore to Vancouver 2012.

Have spoken about this before on earlier threads.Will not bring details up again because the thread will disappear.

Although folks enjoy their vacation it would be nicer if one could find the source of this cough.

 

Have you heard of this "cough" occurring on cruises since yours? If it's not a reoccurring problem it's not going to get much attention from either the press or the cruise line, or the forums for that matter. It's kinda hard to find a cause of something that happened two years ago

[kruisey]

Right, how do you know that?

 

Including the crew. CDC has never brought this some have a mild case others are detained in their cabin like I was it affects some folks badly.

I have read many posts since that stated had a cough although enjoyed their holiday.

Anyone reading on board at moment that has developed a cough on board?

Edited April 21, 2014 by kruisey

[RickEk]

There were over 50% on board who had this cough to various degrees.This was Singapore to Vancouver 2012.

Have spoken about this before on earlier threads.Will not bring details up again because the thread will disappear.

Although folks enjoy their vacation it would be nicer if one could find the source of this cough.

 

As chengkp75 pointed out, it could have been caused by differing environments. That cruise would have gone from a sub-tropical climate to one that was much cooler. Obviously a long cruise... once someone onboard was sick and coughing, it could have spread that way. Not necessarily the ship's fault...

[Ethel5]

I remember that earlier post of yours stating that half the crew was sick and the line at the medical center was so long it looped around. Again, it wasn't on the news or reported to the CDC.

[Christine Frances]

Being discussed on HAL as well. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1857109

Edited April 21, 2014 by Christine Frances

[Ethel5]

There were over 50% on board who had this cough to various degrees.This was Singapore to Vancouver 2012.

Have spoken about this before on earlier threads.Will not bring details up again because the thread will disappear.

Although folks enjoy their vacation it would be nicer if one could find the source of this cough.

 

Heather, when you banter about figures, you need to have solid back up facts. 50% of a ship including crew, would be well over 2,000 souls. Again, with a breakout like that and the communications available today, it would be all over the news. I would suggest if a person is susceptible to respiratory illnesses, they should not be traveling in a closed environment-ship or plane.

[kruisey]

I had this condition it never happened before and this was on my 22 nd cruise.The one before that was Vancouver to Australia via SF and some folks had that cough on that cruise.I spend a lot of time outside.Usually booked Ocean View.

If I cruise again will certainly have the air filters checked in the cabin if I start coughing.I was contained in cabin with antibiotics last cruise.

[compozer]

I got this from my Pharmacist and, so far, it's worked for me. On flights and cruises, I sniff Oil of Eucalyptus. I put 3 cotton balls in a medicine bottle and then soak them with the Oil. During a long flight, I will inhale this about every 2 hours. On a cruise, I'll sniff 3 to 4 times a day. Now for all the flack I'm going to get...No, TSA has never questioned me. I've been doing this for years and it works. It even helps at home when I've caught my yearly cold.:)

 

No wonder I have been sick - my last two cruises were after they took away my beloved eucalyptus scented shampoo, conditioner and lotion. This is great idea Donna. I remember there was a discussion about eucalyptus on our roll call. As usual, can't remember all of it. I need to mix up a bottle. Thanks for the suggestion. I'd probably take a whiff every few minutes - love love it. When I put on the lotion, it puts me in such a great mood. Maybe you need to invent some type of a necklace to wear that automatically releases the aroma.

 

And Donna, you hit it on the nail. I also think my allergies are becoming more sensitive to environmental conditions.

Sandy

[FritzG]

It hasn't been determined that there is a problem with the ship. It could be a people problem either on ship or on shore. All it takes is one good sneeze or cough to spread the germs. :rolleyes:

 

That happened on our first Hawaiian cruise. By the second week of the trip so many passengers had colds, that sometimes the elevators sounded like tb wards. It was amazing how fast the cold spread through the ship.

[Colo Cruiser]

That happened on our first Hawaiian cruise. By the second week of the trip so many passengers had colds, that sometimes the elevators sounded like tb wards. It was amazing how fast the cold spread through the ship.

 

Which does not surprise me at all seeing the amount of people that we saw coming out of bathroom's and stalls and walking right out the door! :(

Disgusting.

[Salacia]

Which does not surprise me at all seeing the amount of people that we saw coming out of bathroom's and stalls and walking right out the door! :(

Disgusting.

 

...and yet you continue to get on board ships with fellow passengers who lack basic hygiene. Of course, the ship itself is perfecto and crew members are so much better at hygiene than are dirty filthy disgusting passengers.

 

I'm not going to ask about "the amount of people that we saw coming out of bathroom's and stalls and walking right out the door!"

Edited April 23, 2014 by Salacia

[Salacia]

That's what I was trying to point out. The reason the USPH/CDC doesn't spend as much time broadcasting respiratory illness on cruise ships as they do noro, is that it is not a big concern for them, at least as far as the ship being a transmission vector. Living in Maine, we don't have all that much a/c in our houses, so when I travel to places that do, and have to move from hot outside to a/c inside, I tend to get sniffles and coughs. I put way more of this down to "traveler's illness" where a change in environment causes your immune system to react differently to different conditions and different strains of virus, bacteria, molds and allergens. From my observations, the crew tends to be pretty healthy in general, supporting my theory that it is the changes that affect you, since the crew is in the ship's environment all the time.

 

Hi chengkp. Are you sure respiratory illness on cruise ships is not a 'big concern" for the CDC? If so, that is very troubling to me because of the rise of serious respiratory illness across the Goble.

 

As far as cruise ships being a mode of transmission, here's a hypothetical: a passenger on a cruise ship docked in Abu Dubai a couple of days ago, had a wonderful time, rode a camel, did all the touristy things. A day or so later, developed a cough, not feeling well. Most likely just a cold and not MERS. [ Not too far fetched, see this: http://time.com/72112/mers-virus-saudi-arabia/]

 

The point I am trying to make is that if no public health authority is paying any attention to respiratory illness on cruise ships, we're all at risk - and we're all to blame unless we start asking what can be done. -S.

[chengkp75]

Hi chengkp. Are you sure respiratory illness on cruise ships is not a 'big concern" for the CDC? If so, that is very troubling to me because of the rise of serious respiratory illness across the Goble.

 

As far as cruise ships being a mode of transmission, here's a hypothetical: a passenger on a cruise ship docked in Abu Dubai a couple of days ago, had a wonderful time, rode a camel, did all the touristy things. A day or so later, developed a cough, not feeling well. Most likely just a cold and not MERS. [ Not too far fetched, see this: http://time.com/72112/mers-virus-saudi-arabia/]

 

The point I am trying to make is that if no public health authority is paying any attention to respiratory illness on cruise ships, we're all at risk - and we're all to blame unless we start asking what can be done. -S.

 

I'm not saying they are not paying attention, what I am saying is that given the existing oversight by the USPH in their VSP, the documented cases of respiratory infections traced to the ships as causative agent or as a transmission vector via the ship's construction or operation (as opposed to direct person to person contact) is minor. They, like all infectious disease experts work from statistics.

 

And in your hypothetical, what is the cruise line to do? The ship did not spread the virus. The passenger acquired it ashore, and the simple fact that it was brought into a closed environment with a large captive host selection is what caused the hypothetical spread. Do we give each passenger a surgical mask when boarding, and state that it is required to be worn at all times or you will be disembarked? Inhaled, aerosol viruses can be spread just being next to someone who is contagious, even without that person sneezing (though that does provide a much stronger culture), so exactly what is the cruise line or the USPH to do? When I say that the ship is not a significant mode of transmission, I mean that the ship itself does not transmit the virus. If you took the same 3000 people in a large auditorium for a week, exposed them to the same person infected from the camel, you would have a similar number of infections as if they were on the ship. Is the auditorium to blame? The ship is not the transmission vector, it is the large group of people. The only true way to prevent this, would be to have each passenger board separately, be led to their cabin by a crewmember with a respirator, and be locked in their cabin for the first 2-3 days of the cruise. After that, everyone would be free to party.

Edited April 23, 2014 by chengkp75

[Colo Cruiser]

...and yet you continue to get on board ships with fellow passengers who lack basic hygiene. Of course, the ship itself is perfecto and crew members are so much better at hygiene than are dirty filthy disgusting passengers.

 

I'm not going to ask about "the amount of people that we saw coming out of bathroom's and stalls and walking right out the door!"

 

Yes!! Shame on me for being an enabler! :rolleyes:

[Ethel5]

I'm not saying they are not paying attention, what I am saying is that given the existing oversight by the USPH in their VSP, the documented cases of respiratory infections traced to the ships as causative agent or as a transmission vector via the ship's construction or operation (as opposed to direct person to person contact) is minor. They, like all infectious disease experts work from statistics.

 

And in your hypothetical, what is the cruise line to do? The ship did not spread the virus. The passenger acquired it ashore, and the simple fact that it was brought into a closed environment with a large captive host selection is what caused the hypothetical spread. Do we give each passenger a surgical mask when boarding, and state that it is required to be worn at all times or you will be disembarked? Inhaled, aerosol viruses can be spread just being next to someone who is contagious, even without that person sneezing (though that does provide a much stronger culture), so exactly what is the cruise line or the USPH to do? When I say that the ship is not a significant mode of transmission, I mean that the ship itself does not transmit the virus. If you took the same 3000 people in a large auditorium for a week, exposed them to the same person infected from the camel, you would have a similar number of infections as if they were on the ship. Is the auditorium to blame? The ship is not the transmission vector, it is the large group of people. The only true way to prevent this, would be to have each passenger board separately, be led to their cabin by a crewmember with a respirator, and be locked in their cabin for the first 2-3 days of the cruise. After that, everyone would be free to party.

 

Your information is spot on! Now, how many will understand it, or will they continue to blame the ship?;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Your information is spot on! Now, how many will understand it, or will they continue to blame the ship?;)

 

Yes, you will always have those that are in denial.

[Kenswing]

People who live in fear of catching a virus on a ship are probably better off not cruising. How can you possibly enjoy yourself if you're constantly worried if everyone that coughs or sneezes is going to be the one that gets you sick? Not to mention that big, bad 'Ol ship that wants to poison you through the HVAC system..

[Salacia]

I'm not saying they are not paying attention, what I am saying is that given the existing oversight by the USPH in their VSP, the documented cases of respiratory infections traced to the ships as causative agent or as a transmission vector via the ship's construction or operation (as opposed to direct person to person contact) is minor. They, like all infectious disease experts work from statistics.

 

And in your hypothetical, what is the cruise line to do? The ship did not spread the virus. The passenger acquired it ashore, and the simple fact that it was brought into a closed environment with a large captive host selection is what caused the hypothetical spread. Do we give each passenger a surgical mask when boarding, and state that it is required to be worn at all times or you will be disembarked? Inhaled, aerosol viruses can be spread just being next to someone who is contagious, even without that person sneezing (though that does provide a much stronger culture), so exactly what is the cruise line or the USPH to do? When I say that the ship is not a significant mode of transmission, I mean that the ship itself does not transmit the virus. If you took the same 3000 people in a large auditorium for a week, exposed them to the same person infected from the camel, you would have a similar number of infections as if they were on the ship. Is the auditorium to blame? The ship is not the transmission vector, it is the large group of people. The only true way to prevent this, would be to have each passenger board separately, be led to their cabin by a crewmember with a respirator, and be locked in their cabin for the first 2-3 days of the cruise. After that, everyone would be free to party.

 

Exaggeration like that is really funny.

You wrote that respiratory illness was "not a big concern" for the CDC. My point was simply that it should be. If no one is monitoring the outbreaks of respiratory illness on cruise ships, the source of the illness can't be known, nor can the number of people with symptoms be known.

 

Passengers and crew are asked to report gastro-intestinal symptoms which is why we have information from the CDC regarding norovirus and other GI pathogens. We do not have the same type of reporting requirements for respiratory illness, so we can't possibly know the cause or extent of outbreaks of respiratory illness on cruise ships.

[capriccio]

People who live in fear of catching a virus on a ship are probably better off not cruising. How can you possibly enjoy yourself if you're constantly worried if everyone that coughs or sneezes is going to be the one that gets you sick? Not to mention that big, bad 'Ol ship that wants to poison you through the HVAC system..

 

I do wonder how some folks ever work up the courage to go out their front door for any reason.