Diamond Princess passenger "tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus"

[SunNFunCruzer]

20 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

A few days ago I read the numbers of each age group

 

May I ask where you found these statistics?  Thank you!

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, SunNFunCruzer said:

 

May I ask where you found these statistics?  Thank you!

The break-up of passengers ages was most likely in one of Mr David Abel's talks a couple of days ago.

[SunNFunCruzer]

8 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I was trying to map it out in a spreadsheet yesterday. Impossible to prove post-quarantine infection until right at the end of the quarantine period.

 

How will knowing pre- or post-quarantine matter if you don't know where those being diagnosed post-quarantine could have been infected?  In other words, if their spouse started coughing on day 9 and infected them at that point, but it took them 9 days to present with symptoms, a post-quarantine 18th day diagnosis would not mean it is "spreading" on the ship.  You'd need to know who was diagnosed and what was happening in the group that surrounded that person (cabin mates, balcony mates, food deliverers, etc) in order to learn anything meaningful, no?

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, SunNFunCruzer said:

 

How will knowing pre- or post-quarantine matter if you don't know where those being diagnosed post-quarantine could have been infected?  In other words, if their spouse started coughing on day 9 and infected them at that point, but it took them 9 days to present with symptoms, a post-quarantine 18th day diagnosis would not mean it is "spreading" on the ship.  You'd need to know who was diagnosed and what was happening in the group that surrounded that person (cabin mates, balcony mates, food deliverers, etc) in order to learn anything meaningful, no?

I agree with you. At this point (before the 14 days of the estimated incubation period) there is no way to know if the infection was 'pre' or 'post'. It has become a topic of discussion here because some people believe that the infection is spreading through the ship until everyone is infected.

[Virga]

I suppose I'm mostly in the 'pre' category - excepting, of course, infections passed between people who shared a cabin or set of connected cabins.  Those are obviously to be expected and should not be seen as isolation failures. 

 

I do worry, though, that the legitimate day one of strict isolation might not have been eight days ago, but was somewhat more recently.  A number of the stories of initial screening mention lax procedures, and we've all watched the many changes meant to further limit transmission.  I would not feel comfortable ruling out the idea that some 'post' infections occurred, though the fact that very few crew have been infected makes me hopeful that the initial isolation was enough.  If it were in my hands, though, I would have a difficult time letting everyone off the ship to disperse freely on day 14. 

 

I don't have a good timetable for when they realized exactly how many infected patients they were dealing with, but I suspect that it lines up pretty well with when they got a lot more rigid with protocols.  I really don't think they had any idea how widely it had been able to spread in the couple of weeks since he'd brought it on the ship - I think they thought they were acting in an overabundance of caution.  I'm very, very glad they did.  I'm grateful to the passengers and crew who are enduring this to try to keep us all safer. 

[Kenswing]

Here's a letter from the CDC to the crew and passengers onboard relating to how they plan on disembarking and quarantining post testing.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/pdfs/cdc-letter-diamond-princess-021220.pdf

[Cruising Is Bliss]

13 hours ago, hal2008 said:

 

While that is better than nothing. I will not go on limb to call it "generous".

It is pittance given how little they get in base salary anyway.

 

 

It's base pay AND average tips. Also, anyone who decides to come back before the two months is up will still get the full two months extra pay.

[Pushka]

2 minutes ago, Kenswing said:

Here's a letter from the CDC to the crew and passengers onboard relating to how they plan on disembarking and quarantining post testing.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/pdfs/cdc-letter-diamond-princess-021220.pdf

That seems very heavily oriented to US guests which I’m guessing don’t form the majority of cruisers on the ship. 

[perditax]

7 minutes ago, Pushka said:

That seems very heavily oriented to US guests which I’m guessing don’t form the majority of cruisers on the ship. 

The CDC is a US organization and the letter is addressed at the top to US passengers.

[Pushka]

2 minutes ago, perditax said:

The CDC is a US organization and the letter is addressed at the top to US passengers.

So are you saying that it doesn’t apply to non US passengers then? 

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, Pushka said:

That seems very heavily oriented to US guests which I’m guessing don’t form the majority of cruisers on the ship. 

The letter might have a few words changed so it is relevant to guests from other countries.

[perditax]

Just now, Pushka said:

So are you saying that it doesn’t apply to non US passengers then? 

I just read it as a United States agency communicating with United States passengers about how things are going to go, including the bit at the end about logistics back to the United States.

 

I would imagine this is a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare on top of everything else.

[Kenswing]

3 minutes ago, Pushka said:

So are you saying that it doesn’t apply to non US passengers then? 

I'm "guessing" that since the CDC is a U.S. entity that they are specifically addressing American passengers.  But I would imagine that this process is going to be applied to all onboard.  Hopefully the appropriate agencies from other countries will communicate with their citizens in a timely manner.

[Kenswing]

From Princess..

 

Updated February 12, 2020 at 11:00PM PT

Voluntary Guest Disembarkation Plan and Additional Cases

Princess Cruises has been informed that over the next several days, Japanese health officials are planning a voluntary disembarkation of guests to complete their quarantine period at a shoreside facility. From the information available it is our understanding that this will be a phased approach, with the most medically vulnerable guests in the first phase, including older adults with pre-existing health conditions.

According to officials, guests in the first group will be tested for the 2019 novel coronavirus. If the test is positive, they will be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and isolation. If the test is negative, they will be given the option to leave the ship and be transported to a quarantine housing facility.

These are the details provided by health officials about the temporary facilities:

• The housing facility includes individual rooms and individual bathrooms
• There are no clinics at these facilities. Prescription medication will be provided, but medical care will require transport to a hospital or clinic.
• The food available will not accommodate dietary preferences but will accommodate certain medical conditions. The meals provided will be Japanese bento-style boxes. No Western meals will be available.

Princess Cruises confirmed that all guests onboard remain welcome to stay onboard through the end of the quarantine period.

Princess Cruises also confirms the announcement, from Japan health officials, of 44 new positive cases of Coronavirus onboard Diamond Princess.

[Wehwalt]

I still feel that the Diamond Princess will have to be withdrawn from Asia, when all is said and done.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Wehwalt

[Stateroom_Sailor]

2 hours ago, Kenswing said:

From Princess..

 

Updated February 12, 2020 at 11:00PM PT

Voluntary Guest Disembarkation Plan and Additional Cases

Princess Cruises has been informed that over the next several days, Japanese health officials are planning a voluntary disembarkation of guests to complete their quarantine period at a shoreside facility. From the information available it is our understanding that this will be a phased approach, with the most medically vulnerable guests in the first phase, including older adults with pre-existing health conditions.

According to officials, guests in the first group will be tested for the 2019 novel coronavirus. If the test is positive, they will be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and isolation. If the test is negative, they will be given the option to leave the ship and be transported to a quarantine housing facility.

These are the details provided by health officials about the temporary facilities:

• The housing facility includes individual rooms and individual bathrooms
• There are no clinics at these facilities. Prescription medication will be provided, but medical care will require transport to a hospital or clinic.
• The food available will not accommodate dietary preferences but will accommodate certain medical conditions. The meals provided will be Japanese bento-style boxes. No Western meals will be available.

Princess Cruises confirmed that all guests onboard remain welcome to stay onboard through the end of the quarantine period.

Princess Cruises also confirms the announcement, from Japan health officials, of 44 new positive cases of Coronavirus onboard Diamond Princess.

 

Excellent news!  I would highly recommend volunteering appropriately, letting those in need go first, but not waiting around on the ship throughout every phase either.  This sounds like a well thought out plan to get everyone well, cleared, and sent back home.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I think it may be targetted more at getting the Japanese passengers off the ship, based on the comment about the meals that would be provided at the quarantine housing facility:

 

"The meals provided will be Japanese bento-style boxes. No Western meals will be available"

 

I could happily handle Japanese food for lunch and dinner but not for breakfast! And, yes, I have tried it!

 

Not that it really matters though. Reducing the number of people in quarantine on the ship itself will reduce the pressure on the crew. It's a good move, I think.

Edited February 13, 2020 by OzKiwiJJ

[Wehwalt]

8 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I think it may be targetted more at getting the Japanese passengers off the ship, based on the comment about the meals that would be provided at the quarantine housing facility:

 

"The meals provided will be Japanese bento-style boxes. No Western meals will be available"

 

I could happily handle Japanese food for lunch and dinner but not for breakfast! And, yes, I have tried it!

 

Not that it really matters though. Reducing the number of people in quarantine on the ship itself will reduce the pressure on the crew. It's a good move, I think.

It doesn't address whether one's luggage would accompany. If it did, possibly the ship could make a CARE package. If you could not have your property with you in quarantine, that might put a different spin on it.

 

The quarters might be inferior to say, a standard balcony cabin. The internet would probably be better though!

Edited February 13, 2020 by Wehwalt

[dog]

6 hours ago, kathy49 said:

I wonder if David Abel will get off....they are nervous about getting tested in case one of them is positive and they have to split up. Boy I would go for it...they are over 70...so maybe?

No, they will not get off they said. No special food requirements will be met and they want to stay together.

[dog]

9 hours ago, icat2000 said:

https://twitter.com/mjswhitebread Matthew Smith who is also on the Diamond Princess in an inside cabin is a great read if your interested in what life is like cooped up in an inside cabin.

 

 

 

Thanks for that.

 

[Cindy]

10 hours ago, icat2000 said:

https://twitter.com/mjswhitebread Matthew Smith who is also on the Diamond Princess in an inside cabin is a great read if your interested in what life is like cooped up in an inside cabin.

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed reading his updates.

 

From the pictures, Matthew appears to be in a full suite.

[flowery]

I hope David and Sally Abel and all the others will avail themselves of offers to get off the ship ASAP even if it means a potential separation from their partners. 

flyertalk china forum has many interesting posts- some by infectious disease experts. The Princess Diamond is described as the new global hot spot and some posting on the forum would rather be in an apt in Wuhan than on the ship!

 

The elderly passengers who are being offered an opportunity to quarantine in a new location would also be helping the remaining passengers and crew by possibly decreasing the spread of infection and decreasing the pressure on the crew.  Crew that are remaining onboard could possibly spread out into passenger staterooms once they've been cleaned.

Bento box meals should be the least of their worries!

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china/2005409-corona-virus.html

[Fido Chuckwagon]

7 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

You are making assumptions that school meal services and / or university meal services operate the same as in the USA.

Holy moly, Japan is a first world country with a gigantic economy. The ship is anchored off of a major city.  There is no universe in which they don’t have the infrastructure to handle this. Again, 10k meals a day is just not that big of a deal.

[dog]

11 minutes ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

Holy moly, Japan is a first world country with a gigantic economy. The ship is anchored off of a major city.  There is no universe in which they don’t have the infrastructure to handle this. Again, 10k meals a day is just not that big of a deal.

 

Not sure why this point continues to go on.

Japan is making the decisions. New update on how it will be handled is on Princess website Feb 12th.

[Wehwalt]

11 minutes ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

Holy moly, Japan is a first world country with a gigantic economy. The ship is anchored off of a major city.  There is no universe in which they don’t have the infrastructure to handle this. Again, 10k meals a day is just not that big of a deal.

Also, why describe the onshore quarantine service in text? Send someone over there, even if's still getting its finishing touches, have him wave around his iPhone and put it on shipboard television. Better yet, video the dummy runs they will, I'd think, have from ship to facility. 

 

I realize quarantine is a serious matter but the Japanese sometimes come across as almost unnecessarily stern.