QE2 Norovirus on World Cruise..news report

[guernseyguy]

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2820518

OOps :eek: here's the correct url... Sorry!

 

Thanks for posting the link - I thought a pretty balanced objective report - and the QE2 passengers interviewed kept it in perspective - none of the 'holiday from hell!' here......like the ship, they have class.

 

Peter

[KarenR_UK]

Apparently Southampton is a well-known source of this trouble.

:confused:

Surely people are the source of this problem not places.

Southampton has a lot of visiting cruise ships, so any ship leaving UK is likely to have started from here, so if you catch it on a ship that left from Southampton you might feel its Southampton's fault - but people have come here from all over -even the USA:) , so to say Southampton is the source is not really fair (and a bit little upsetting to those of us that live here - i.e. me:D ) unless you actually have a reference

 

Karen

 

(ok so our hospital has a small problem at the moment but the nv word has not been mentioned, and plenty of other places get it too:D )

[grandsix]

Story is getting a lot of media coverage in the New York City area.

[SeaFlint]

:confused:

Surely people are the source of this problem not places.

Southampton has a lot of visiting cruise ships, so any ship leaving UK is likely to have started from here, so if you catch it on a ship that left from Southampton you might feel its Southampton's fault - but people have come here from all over -even the USA:) , so to say Southampton is the source is not really fair (and a bit little upsetting to those of us that live here - i.e. me:D ) unless you actually have a reference

 

Karen

 

(ok so our hospital has a small problem at the moment but the nv word has not been mentioned, and plenty of other places get it too:D )

 

 

I agree, but the QM2 doctor told my wife that Southampton was often a source of the trouble. I'm sure he meant people, surfaces, etc. But I imagine some ports are more of a risk than others.

[cusyl]

Just curious, since they got everyone off the ship in L.A. and thoroughly cleaned the ship, how many persons still have the virus? Never mind, I see the report above this. Hope they have it contained now.

[stowaway2k]

I have recieved two messages from people in other parts of the US saying that their news reported that QE2's world cruise was cancelled after her arrival in San Francisco.

 

Amazing.

 

The sudden media blitz on the noro outbreak has been mostly "after the fact".

 

Passengers I spoke to when QE2 was in L.A. on Monday said that it was all pretty much settled down by then, and they kind of just shrugged the whole thing off.

 

As QE2's arrival in L.A. is annual, there wasn't any media coverage at all that I saw, but her arrival in San Francisco woke up all the sleepy "reporters" looking for a story to sell.

[betsey]

Hello, I work for a ground services company who handles check in for cruise passengers in SF, and worked yesterd checking in the approx. 300 guests who were boarding the QE2 in SF for the cruise. I do agree that the media here totally over-played the "sick passengers on cruise ship" story, and never really highlighted the ship or the cruise itself. The employees from the purser's office were totally surprised when I told them that the story was all over the news, and they stated that no one was still currently sick onboard.

There were however, a crew of cleaning people sanitizing everything in reach in the pier - chairs, counters, walls, line ropes and stands all day long.

I really hate it when the all the media can do is sensationalize something like this.

The QM2 will be in SF in a couple of weeks - I suppose it wont' get much attention unless there's some sick folks onboard.......

[stowaway2k]

The CDC's report on the outbreak on QE2 has been updated a bit...

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

 

The "causative agent" for the outbreak has been changed, from "norovirus" to "pending".

[Anteeta]

Hope this doesn't sound too silly a question......

 

"No condiments" - what exactly was removed, and did you (in practice) feel that there was anything more than usual?

 

I'm always impressed that the routine is dealt with so very thoroughly. I didn't notice anything on the crossing - but wonder if the complaints regarding missing nuts on bars was part of this routine?

 

Matthew

 

Hi Matthew

 

"No condiments..........." the pottery salt and pepper pots on the dining tables in Caronia were removed. As was the wooden pepper mill. The waiters offered condiments (which we declined other than an occasional grind of pepper as the food doesn't require additional seasoning). It seems an acceptable precaution as those items could be a source of contamination if handled by someone affected. In an ideal world, naturally I'd prefer a fully dressed table. But in the circumstances, I was happy that waiters brought seasoning, mustard and dressings etc on request.

 

They were there for the first week or so, but suddenly disappeared between lunch and dinner at the point where the alert state escalated to red. I suspect the missing nuts you mention were part of the precautions (although nuts will be offered if one asks).

 

As you rightly say, the precautions are impressive. I can't agree with the post above suggesting that Southampton is a well known source of the outbreak. That suggestion could escalate into an international incident! We were reassured by frequent samples being taken from the pools and jaccuzis, by the sight of white suited crew literally scrubbing and spraying walls etc. Good hygiene will largely ensure that travellers don't succumb.

[Liv4cruzin]

I seem to recall reading/hearing about an outbreak last year in the Med. Sorry, don't have all details; but I did gain some insight on how it can happen & why the outbreaks "seem" to be so prevelant on cruise ships.

 

It was reported that a significant percentage of passengers embarking in Civitavecchia became ill a few days into their cruise. After extensive investigation, it was learned that several passengers had spent time pre-cruise in Rome. And some of those had even sought medical care for "noro virus symptoms" during their stay. Knowing that the cruise line's hand out a "flyer" at check in asking if anyone has experienced gastrointestional symptoms, I would surmise that those Pax denied their illness for fear they would be denied boarding. They bring it onboard; & it quickly spreads. It was at this time that I also learned that (some) "law" dictates that a cruise line is required to report to the CDC when an outbreak involves a certain percentage (or higher) of passengers/crew. Even though noro virus runs rampant in hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. it is not as newsworthy as it is on a cruise liner. This infuriates me since it really does create panic in those who haven't yet become addicted to cruising. And it takes time for sales to bounce back after this unwanted media attention. If anyone else remembers seeing posts to this effect or press releases (probably from Seatrade Insider), please speak up.

[transat_jon]

I felt so sad for all the sick people on the ship that I drew them a picture.

 

 

I hope i cheers them up.

 

 

 

Jon, aged 10.

[berry22192]

I am on the QE2...

Bobby

 

 

Bobby, sorry we missed finding you on the NY-SFO segment. We only had your first name to go on and we coudn't find you in the passenger list. We did try to question any single gentlemen in their 50s in the Caronia Dining Room. We were at table 466. Perhaps we'll meet up another time.

 

Chris

[durangoscots]

.

 

Even though noro virus runs rampant in hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. it is not as newsworthy as it is on a cruise liner.

 

This is so very, very true. I am planning my cruise for January 2008 and I have had people ask if I am not afraid of the norovirus. I tell them after years of being in a college classroom, I have been exposed to it a lot more than on a cruise ship.

 

Susan

[imacruizer]

I felt so sad for all the sick people on the ship that I drew them a picture.

 

 

I hope i cheers them up.

 

 

 

Jon, aged 10.

 

I like your picture very much. You are very talented. You are also kind to want to do something nice for the sick people on the ship. Thanks for sharing your picture.

 

Beth

[patwell]

I felt so sad for all the sick people on the ship that I drew them a picture.

 

 

I hope i cheers them up.

Jon, aged 10.

 

Love the picture Jon...it cheered me up and I'm not even on the QE2!! :D Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Penny

[travel-to-go]

I also learned that (some) "law" dictates that a cruise line is required to report to the CDC when an outbreak involves a certain percentage (or higher) of passengers/crew. Even though noro virus runs rampant in hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. it is not as newsworthy as it is on a cruise liner. This infuriates me since it really does create panic in those who haven't yet become addicted to cruising. And it takes time for sales to bounce back after this unwanted media attention. If anyone else remembers seeing posts to this effect or press releases (probably from Seatrade Insider), please speak up.

 

Actually, Becky, the above is not totally correct. The part about not being required under other circumstances, may not be totally correct. I am, unfortunately, getting way too familiar with the CDC's rules. My father just died of a hospital-borne infection called MRSA which is reportable to the CDC. Over the Christmas holiday, I was exposed to Rabies. Even though it was Christmas eve, an emergency report went in to my Town and State Health departments (emergency 24/7 hotline, with someone on call) and was forwarded on to CDC (yes, folks, I am a statistic!) Things like Legionnaire's disease and E Coli outbreaks -which, btw is everywhere, just not so as to make people sick, usually, of course are reportable. I believe a largescale outbreak of Norwalk type viruses in a limited population is reportable. People look at the CDC pages on cruises. they don't necessarily look that east podunk hospital or nursing home had an outbreak. I actually have the files of what illnesses are reportable (I told you, I know WAY too much about the CDC lately!)

It's just like this- If there is a"bad section of town" every little incident is front line news. But when it happens in the suburbs, unless it involves someone famous, it doesn't even make page 34. Weare having a horrible case in CT right now with a white woman falsely claiming she was raped in broad daylight in a beautiful downtown park by a huge black man. She has just been arrested for the false claim. Some folks were angry she wasn't arrested sooner, but the police hesitated due to the adverse afffect one women reluctant to report a real incident- (Aparently she WAS victimized, but by someone she knew and refuses to identify.) Would anyone have gotten up in arms, it was asked, if a poor black woman was raped by a "huge white man?" probably not. Sensationalism sells newspapers (and other media) It is seldom news if someone gets sick in a hospital or nursing home, and food poisoning because I left warm chicken out in my house is not news, while a big restaurant with poor hygeine which sickens 10 people is! Thats the way of the world, all of us included, I'm afraid.

 

Karie,

who is cold and tired and going home now.

And that's not news!

[cajim]

I just got off in SF for the QE2. My friend i travel with got sick and was held in the cabin for about 36 hours. The frirst port change was noticed when we boarded in NY and have been going on for some time by other cruises. The second was decieded on apporach to the harbor with 3 meter seas.

 

I was on a tour in LA with the Sr Dr. and he reported that CDC spent 30 Minuits with him and asked wiat are we doing here. He had son every thing posible the right way,

 

Jim

[greatam]

Cruise Critic is reporting that the noro outbreak started in Southampton. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1923

 

How 'bout it, WCC'ers? Is this true??? None of you mentioned it on the WCC thread.

[Kindlychap]

Cruise Critic is reporting that the noro outbreak started in Southampton. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1923

 

How 'bout it, WCC'ers? Is this true??? None of you mentioned it on the WCC thread.

 

This WCC'er didn't notice anything, or hear anything.

 

Matthew

[planetcadillac]

Cruise Critic is reporting that the noro outbreak started in Southampton. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1923

 

How 'bout it, WCC'ers? Is this true??? None of you mentioned it on the WCC thread.

 

Given the incubation period for norovirus it could have started on the Western Transatlantic. But to my knowledge there were no widespread outbreaks.

 

Upon embarkation we were given the usual talk, they had handwashing on the gangway to the ship, inside the ship, and at all the usual places before entering the restaurant, etc. Also we were given the usual notices in the cabin.

 

No public announcement was made however, nor were the self-service removed from the table, menu covers, etc. I think more people (at least the first 3 days) battling the mal-de-mar and the weather than the flu.

 

I personally did not come down with anything on the ship nor did I hear of anyone with flu-like symptoms although I am battling a small cold at the moment.

 

Given when the outbreak occured, at least when the cases started getting reported in large numbers, occured somewhere from Ft. Lauderdale to Panama Canal.