Diamond Princess passenger "tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus"

[TrulyBlonde]

2 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

They had been told prior to declining the trip back to the US that they would not be allowed to leave Japan until March 4th at the earliest so unless there is something more on the letter, this should not be a surprise to those who stayed.

Letter was just issued today. It states the dates as "when they are allowed to leave ship". Steve Herman on Twitter has copy of new letter. Also, assumes they were exposed.

Edited February 18, 2020 by TrulyBlonde

[Globehoppers]

Good discussion/description of an American caught in the Chinese containment near Wuhan and then repatriated back to the US on an evacuation flight and placed in 14-day quarantine in California:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/18/my-14-days-coronavirus-quarantine-werent-totally-terrible/

 

[chipmaster]

A recent study showing death rate based on age of the infected,  not pretty for the elder folks

 

Will be interesting to see what happens to all the Princess confirmed cases if they end up with a similar profile or based on Japanese and possibly better care it has a different trend. 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by chipmaster

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

I'm not sure if I am breaking any rules in posting a link to this story ... but here is what she said:

 

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6133257274001#sp=show-clips

 

We were tested in Japan and then her husband developed a fever.   So, "We made up a story that we were clear" at which point, the interviewer said "You made up a story that you were all clear" and she again said "We made up a story that no news was good news".  She clearly, not once but twice, stated that she made up a story to get on the plane.  

 

See for yourself if this doesn't sound like she was making up a story just to get off that ship and onto a plane home.   This is how I interpreted it.  They are in the few passengers taken to Ohama from what I could tell.  

I watched the whole interview from start to finish.  I got the impression that they decided they were clear, because they hadn't heard anything to the contrary.  Towards the end, she said they were waiting for results.  She seemed surprised that there were people on the plane who had the virus. 

That is very different to being advised that they had tested positive, then saying they were clear. 

They are a lovely couple who shared details of their confinement on Diamond Princess.  I hope Carl and Jerry in Japan make a speedy recovery and wish both couples well. 

Guess I think the best of people, rather than the worst.  

[JennAngel9]

I read both of the new press releases from CDC and Embassy and they still read as if the Americans disembarking will be allowed to roam Japan freely... but I would be completely shocked if the Japanese government risks losing the Olympics and a massive spread/humanitarian crisis by letting those remaining on board wander around their biggest city.

[DivotMaker]

16 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

Letter was just issued today. It states the dates as "when they are allowed to leave ship". Steve Herman on Twitter has copy of new letter. Also, assumes they were exposed.

 

 

 

[Pushka]

6 minutes ago, JennAngel9 said:

I read both of the new press releases from CDC and Embassy and they still read as if the Americans disembarking will be allowed to roam Japan freely... but I would be completely shocked if the Japanese government risks losing the Olympics and a massive spread/humanitarian crisis by letting those remaining on board wander around their biggest city.

Im guessing that as the Japanese Health Authorities have not released anything completely official as to when they will depart the Ship then the US have left that date ambiguous as they won’t pre empt that announcement. 

[DivotMaker]

From David Abel's FB Page:

 

"Sally and I waited 8 hours in the cabin to be transported to a hostel. We are still on the ship!

They do NOT send folk with the virus to a hostel!

Massive communication error yesterday. The Japanese quarantine officials to not speak any English. They came to our door & told us to be ready to be taken to the hostel. My mindset was ‘virus’ and said ‘positive then’. He nodded.

I don’t think he was saying yes to the virus but positive we were moving out??

He followed up by saying it will probably be just 4 or 5 days. You would not say that to a virus victim.

The consulate in Tokyo are being very good with me. I am being listened to and Sally & I feel really well.

I will get more info out when I know what’s happening. Thank you for your love and concern.

Sally & David xx"

[TrulyBlonde]

7 minutes ago, DivotMaker said:

 

 

 

Thanks for copying the letter. Definately strongly worded and date left open that they will be notified when travel restrictions have been lifted.

[Floridiana]

10 minutes ago, DivotMaker said:

hostel

 

Sounds almost like hospital, especially for speakers whose language does not combine consonants.

[ano]

43 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

Looks like some gambled and lost. 

It was a lose-lose no-matter what people did.  Did you see the conditions on that plane where the US flew home some people?  

 

The good news is all the people with the virus on the ship seems to be pretty mild. I haven't heard of any deaths from this group. 

[fragilek]

1 minute ago, ano said:

It was a lose-lose no-matter what people did.  Did you see the conditions on that plane where the US flew home some people?  

 

The good news is all the people with the virus on the ship seems to be pretty mild. I haven't heard of any deaths from this group. 

 The last I looked (a few days ago) there were 18 serious in hospital from on the ship 

[DivotMaker]

2 minutes ago, fragilek said:

 The last I looked (a few days ago) there were 18 serious in hospital from on the ship 

 

I've been following the stats on Worldometer and it's just slightly different:

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

 

[cruiser man 60]

But all very elderly as you would expect with any infection 

[purduemom1]

18 minutes ago, DivotMaker said:

From David Abel's FB Page:

 

"Sally and I waited 8 hours in the cabin to be transported to a hostel. We are still on the ship!

They do NOT send folk with the virus to a hostel!

Massive communication error yesterday. The Japanese quarantine officials to not speak any English. They came to our door & told us to be ready to be taken to the hostel. My mindset was ‘virus’ and said ‘positive then’. He nodded.

I don’t think he was saying yes to the virus but positive we were moving out??

He followed up by saying it will probably be just 4 or 5 days. You would not say that to a virus victim.

The consulate in Tokyo are being very good with me. I am being listened to and Sally & I feel really well.

I will get more info out when I know what’s happening. Thank you for your love and concern.

Sally & David xx"

 

Thank you  for reposting from FB. I have been following David and Sally on YouTube but I don’t use FB so am glad you posted. If possible, please post any additional messages. Thanks so much.

[DivotMaker]

Just now, purduemom1 said:

 

Thank you  for reposting from FB. I have been following David and Sally on YouTube but I don’t use FB so am glad you posted. If possible, please post any additional messages. Thanks so much.

You're welcome and I certainly will.  I've been following them from the start and when they announced they were positive it just left a hole in my heart.  I certainly realize nobody on board is more important than anyone else, but his humor and attitude have really resonated with me over time and I feel like I know him.  Just seems like someone I'd really enjoy chatting with over a glass of whiskey 🙂

[terry&mike]

6 hours ago, Ombud said:

When this started to unroll in late January Yokohama was slated to be the alternative port for HK for several Princess ships. Was that also the case for the Diamond?

No, Yokohama was scheduled to be the home port for Diamond beginning January 20th.

I was on the sailing January 6-20, Singapore to Yokohama. The next sailing was Yokohama round trip for 2 weeks beginning January 20 to many of the same ports we did (Hong Kong, etc) - this is the one that got quarantined. Then the ship was then scheduled to start sailing circle Japan itineraries for a couple of months from Yokohama. 

[kearney]

I don't have a good feeling about letting passengers go after seeing this video on twitter infection control doctor talks about what he witnessed on Diamond Princess  I think all the cruise lines need to see this and ask themselves if their staff is trained to handle this sort of virus....  Not sure if it was good to stay on the ship... but if I was leaving my cabin.... I would want to be completely gowned, shoe covers, gloves, cap and mask..until safely away from the ship and then deposit all in a hazmat bag and take a long soapy shower...

[purduemom1]

5 minutes ago, DivotMaker said:

You're welcome and I certainly will.  I've been following them from the start and when they announced they were positive it just left a hole in my heart.  I certainly realize nobody on board is more important than anyone else, but his humor and attitude have really resonated with me over time and I feel like I know him.  Just seems like someone I'd really enjoy chatting with over a glass of whiskey 🙂

 

I too looked forward to his posts. Their positive attitude is an inspiration to all. I also feel so sad that they are now in such a predicament and hope it is, as they would say, “sorted” soon. I am sure their family is proactively working on a resolution. The hostel part is confusing to me. Many hostel accommodations are more of a group dormitory with shared bathrooms so I certainly hope that isn’t what they have to look forward to. 

 

Thinking good thoughts for all pax who are still in limbo and wondering just what their fate will be.

[sprinkles]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

can Princess just pull up anchor and head back to the US ? - time to get out from under Japans thumb … 

Why the US?  The back of the ship reads LONDON, the ship sails under UK registry.   A silly point I guess.  But following the Abels, all along I wanted to point it out to him.  

 

[kendon]

I'm confused....where will the remainder of the passengers be staying who are being released?

 

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, kendon said:

I'm confused....where will the remainder of the passengers be staying who are being released?

 

Quite some time ago, it was announced that the Japanese government had taken over some hotels to use as quarantine stations.

 

I hope that those passengers and crew who are not repatriated to their home countries, spend at least 14 days in quarantine. I know that this would be difficult after already having been in quarantine on the ship, but all efforts need to be made to contain the virus.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

Here's a decent summary from Traveling With Bruce:

 

 

[sprinkles]

26 minutes ago, sprinkles said:

Why the US?  The back of the ship reads LONDON, the ship sails under UK registry.   A silly point I guess.  But following the Abels, all along I wanted to point it out to him.  

 

Oops it might say Hamilton, but it’s UK registry either way.

 

[npcl]

18 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

I agree with you, I would hope for the same but according to the Japanese Minister of Health they will be released and allowed to roam at will. Does not make sense to me.

 

"About 3,000 people on a cruise ship quarantined in the Japanese port of Yokohama due to the outbreak of a new coronavirus will start disembarking Wednesday as scheduled, health minister Katsunobu Kato said. Kato told a press conference on Tuesday that test samples had been collected from all the remaining passengers of the Diamond Princess and that disembarkation is expected to be completed by Friday."

 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/02/26acf5d217e4-virus-hit-diamond-princess-passengers-to-disembark-from-wed.html

I believe all that test negative with the samples collected in the past couple of days will be released from quarantine.  Any testing positive will go to hospital.

 

The biggest issue for those that stayed onboard is the number of in country cases in Japan is starting to climb.  Japan might find itself on a restricted list in a couple of weeks. So people might spend their time on the Diamond, spend another 14 days in Japan and still not be able to fly home.

Edited February 19, 2020 by npcl