New thread about passengers returning from the Westerdam

[HappyInVan]

25 minutes ago, pictonite said:

Orlando Ashford has left the hotel and is bringing the rest of the passengers still on the Westerdam to our hotel.  They will arrive late this afternoon on buses.  They will then join with us to await flights home.

 

We expect that repatriation will take a few more days!

 

We understand that Holland America knows which countries will allow us safe passage, and will route us accordingly.

 

 

Thanks very much for the update. Sets my mind at ease. All the best.

[MAVIP]

7 hours ago, gatour said:

While it may have not mentioned on this thread.  The people still onboard the ship, and at the hotel are having their prescription medicines replenished as needed.

Exactly so! Good to mention it again.

[puppycanducruise]

Safe home everyone.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, newtocruiseinblue said:

At last some good news

[SolentSeawater]

I’ve just heard that passengers have been turned away from the airport again tonight and have returned to the hotel. I think that some where going to be flying to Japan. 
 

Luckily, we left Saturday for the UK  just before the 83yr tested positive. 

[bcummin]

We need to think positive and hope for the best.

Personally, I think that the time served on ms Westerdam since Hong Kong and Taiwan was a valid quarantine.

Good health and safe travels home for all.

Barbara

[ozzie0075]

Looks like the comedian that escaped quarantine has been fired by HAL.  Not surprising in my opinion.  

 

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-ship-comedian-breaks-quarantine-sneaks-flight-home

 

[Level six]

Watch video of him talking about it

https://komonews.com/news/local/man-stranded-on-coronavirus-infected-cruise-ship-arrives-at-sea-tac-airport?fbclid=IwAR3oY2bPcJQDpgMdgrNfEAdkS-5FMUGpXSWuPaa8PRxovI9YofHhb6ZqgpQ

[HappyInVan]

Update from Canada.

 

There are 400 evacuees under quarantine in Canada. They were flown from Wuhan in chartered planes, and quarantined on a military base. None have tested positive. They will be released as they pass their quarantine period.

 

In British Columbia, there are 5 confirmed cases. The last being reported on Feb 13rd. The medics have just declared the first 'cured' patient. He has passed two laboratory tests with negative results.

 

Twenty pax from the Westerdam have returned to the province. All are advised to be under self-quarantine. 

 

[bcummin]

The U. S. Health Department in Washington State is in action.  This evening's T V news featured an Asian man who had gone to the hospital, when he was sick with a liver problem.  Since he had recently been to Viet Nam, he was quarantined.  .  .  .

https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/family-of-orcas-island-man-blames-racial-profiling-for-coronavirus-quarantine/281-d8d6ae9d-a33d-4bd7-89e9-18dc24a67e3e

Barbara

Edited February 20, 2020 by bcummin

[bcummin]

In my heart, I want to believe that the passengers and crew of ms Westerdam all missed COVID-19.

I have trouble accepting the lady's diagnosis in Malaysia.  And I hope she and her husband are doing well.

Barbara

[maryann2]

2 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

I still can't believe that no one else was infected...

 

I agree.

[HappyInVan]

For returning pax, consider this ...

 

"Fecal transmission may be behind coronavirus’ rapid spread"

 

https://today.line.me/id/pc/article/Fecal+transmission+may+be+behind+coronavirus’+rapid+spread-K36WBG

 

You're not necessarily infection free, if your swab tests negative. Avoid body fluids and make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. Its a new disease and we're still on the learning curve.

[HappyInVan]

Some bad news in Iran...

 

"Tehran, Iran - Authorities in Iran have confirmed three new cases of the coronavirus, a day after two people died from the infection in the city of Qom.

 

Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to Iran's health minister, said on Wednesday a total of five cases have been confirmed in Iran so far.

 

"The three new cases from today include two in Qom and one in Araq in central Iran. The case in Araq is a doctor," he told Al Jazeera. "It remains unclear where the virus in Iran has come."

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/iran-confirms-coronavirus-cases-200220125104907.html

 

 

[HappyInVan]

Some good new. This couple from Saskatchewan got back early Tuesday.

 

https://theprovince.com/news/saskatchewan/coronavirus-trapped-weyburn-couple-on-cruise-without-port/wcm/d16293bc-7463-4b72-a532-f8aa5dcfc11b

 

Let us know as you get home. We're cheering for you.

Edited February 21, 2020 by HappyInVan

[HappyInVan]

As expected, HAL is canceling Westerdam itinerary till May...

 

“Update: 2/20/2020 5 pm Pacific Time

 

Due to the uncertainty of ports accepting cruise ships in Asia, Holland America Line has decided to cancel Westerdam’s four March and April 2020 Asia cruises...

 

Details and itineraries regarding Westerdam deployment through early May will be provided in the coming days...

 

All guests will receive a full refund of the cruise fare paid. Each guest will also receive a future cruise credit of 25-50% of fare paid depending on the departure date and reimbursement of any travel cancellation fees.”

 

An infectious disease doesn't disappear in a few months. SARS appeared in 2002 and faded away in 2004. Hopefully, COVID19 will do the same.

 

Until then, it is not possible to predict its reach. It has just showed up in Iran unexpectedly. There's this outbreak in a Korean church. Any place where people get careless.

 

“The South Korean spread of confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection jumped suddenly starting on 19–20 February. On 19 February, the number of confirmed cases increased by 20.

 

On 20 February, 58[2] or 70[3] new cases were confirmed, giving a total of 104 confirmed cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Korea (KCDC).

 

According to Reuters, KCDC attributed the sudden jump to 70 cases linked to "Patient 31", who had participated in a gathering in Daegu at the Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.[3] ...”

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_outbreak_in_South_Korea#19–20_February_outbreak

 

Stay safe.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you HappyInVan for this updated  report.

[bcummin]

May all of the Westerdam passengers arrive home safely and stay healthy.

We want to hear from you.

Barbara

[1fishaholic]

You may be interested in the latest from USA CDC ... this article is from USA TODAY website....

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

CDC: Westerdam passenger 'never had coronavirus to our knowledge' after cruise ship chaos

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/02/21/coronavirus-holland-america-ms-westerdam-cruise-passenger-cleared/4834124002/

[HappyInVan]

In the first months of an outbreak, expect the news to be on a roller coast. Last week was pretty good. This week, not so. COVID 19 in the Middle East moves one step closer to Europe. While Italy is having its own outbreak. From CNBC's blog...

 

1:15 pm Northern Italy reports 16 coronavirus cases

 

An outbreak of coronavirus in northern Italy worsened, with officials announcing 14 confirmed cases in the wealthy region of Lombardy, while two cases were reported in the adjacent region of Veneto. Just hours after revealing that six people had come down with the virus in the first known cases of local transmission in Italy, officials said a further eight had tested positive for the disease, including five health workers...

 

 

7:30 am: It is possible coronavirus exists in all Iranian cities, Health Ministry says

 

Iran’s health ministry on Friday reportedly confirmed the coronavirus had spread to several cities nationwide, before adding the flu-like virus might exist in all of them. “Based on existing reports, the spread of the coronavirus started in Qom and with attention to people’s travels has now reached several cities in the country, including Tehran, Babol, Arak, Isfahan, Rasht, and other cities. And it is possible that it exists in all cities in Iran,” Health Ministry official Minou Mohrez said Friday, Reuters reported, citing the country’s official IRNA news agency.

 

It comes after the Islamic Republic confirmed 18 total cases on Friday, and four patients have died. — Meredith

 

 

5:30 am: Chinese city says discharged virus patient tested positive after 10 days

 

A coronavirus patient who was discharged less than two weeks ago has tested positive for the virus, Chengdu Public Health and Medical Center said Friday in an online statement.

 

The post said the patient was discharged on Feb. 10 after meeting requirements from China’s virus diagnosis protocol, and went home for a 14-day quarantine. The hospital said it received the patient on Wednesday for further treatment.

 

Chengdu is the capital city of Sichuan province in southwestern China and located more than 1,100 kilometers (683 miles) away from Wuhan. — Wu

 

 

 

[sailingdutchy]

44 minutes ago, 1fishaholic said:

You may be interested in the latest from USA CDC ... this article is from USA TODAY website....

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

CDC: Westerdam passenger 'never had coronavirus to our knowledge' after cruise ship chaos

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/02/21/coronavirus-holland-america-ms-westerdam-cruise-passenger-cleared/4834124002/

 

We all had our doubts that there was just this one person  who had tested positive . Our ship had been tested multiple times and we had no problems until this one case turned up in Kuala Lumpur , was this political between Malaysia and Cambodia . Had Cambodia received too much praise from the world .........................

[cruiserchuck]

16 minutes ago, sailingdutchy said:

 

We all had our doubts that there was just this one person  who had tested positive . Our ship had been tested multiple times and we had no problems until this one case turned up in Kuala Lumpur , was this political between Malaysia and Cambodia . Had Cambodia received too much praise from the world .........................

 

It was my understanding that only about 20 passengers were tested for the Coronavirus when the ship initially arrived in Cambodia.  It is also my understanding that no tests for Coronavirus were conducted onboard prior to arrival in Cambodia, because the ship did not have any Coronavirus test kits on board.    

[bcummin]

From the Westerdam Roll Call for February 1, 2020:

 

USN59-79   #381 Posted 1 hour ago

We just arrived home today from Narita via Phnon Penh.  HAL booked us in business class on both flights as we had purchased a higher class than economy when we boarded on 1 February.  Just received an email from Orlando Ashford thanking us for our patience and he noted that the woman who had supposedly tested positive after leaving the ship to Malaysia has now been shown to have been negative for COVID-19.  So no Westerdam passengers or crew has tested positive for the virus.  While the last few weeks have been trying times, I am very pleased and satisfied with the help we received from HAL, but also our embassy in Phonm Penh and the other foreign embassy personnel that were helping us in Cambodia and elsewhere.

Ray and Sara

 

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

 

We all had our doubts that there was just this one person  who had tested positive . 

 

Glad that you made it back in one piece.

 

Here's a reminder of that ecstatic morning...

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50693293/more-than-1000-ms-westerdam-passengers-depart-for-home

 

 

[Roger88]

I dont get it. How do they sort the passengers? How do they know who is infected and who is not?
I mean isnt there should be a way, say they pick 20 passengers for the start, watch them for 2 weeks and then take another 20 passengers? This method seems the most logical