Noro on Ruby sailing March 3-10

[Pansy2801]

My family was also on this sailing . More than 48 hours after disembarkation we are fine and I hope that we are safe. I want to mention that besides washing hands all the time and sanitizing after using the menu in dinning room, we never ate outside in ports . We did not use public restrooms. We also *did not eat in the buffet, *as we felt that using Purell was not enforced , and saw many people passing by without doing it. I know Purell does not replace washing hands , but it is to be used in addition to hand washing.

 

Since the noro announcement came as we were getting ready to disembark, it seems to me that something happened in one of the ports . I was wondering if cc members who got noro will be willing to think back at what happened 48 hours before they got the symptoms and see if there is anything in common. *It may be useful for everyone ( thinking at future cruises) if we find a possible reason for the outbreak . *

[gingera]

Greetings,

 

If you have confirmed Noro then yu know it is quite contagious....it is often times hard to prevent, especially if the Noro is in the family. The

virus is all over the place; on handrails, on elevator buttons, and any other communal item.

 

Hand washing is the prevention of choice, not just hand sanitizer(better with bacteria). The hand washing needs to be with friction and needs to be a long time, much longer than what you think.

 

Prevention is to stay away from people who have confirmed Noro, and to wash hands frequently, to use your own bathroom facilticies....One behavior that I have seen over and over on ship is that people wash their hands after using the public restrooms (need to be a long time) but they open the bathroom door with their bare hands...very bad idea.

[Tempo]

Well I hope they get it cleaned up we are on the 17TH trip in 4 days. We have are wet-ones ready and packed.

THANKS FOR HEADS UP

[JimmyVWine]

I know Purell does not replace washing hands , but it is to be used in addition to hand washing.

 

Not for Noro. Purell does nothing in relation to Noro. That is not to say that using it is a bad idea for germs around buffets generally. But it is not a defense in any way to Noro.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[pablo222]

Prevention is to stay away from people who have confirmed Noro, and to wash hands frequently, to use your own bathroom facilticies....One behavior that I have seen over and over on ship is that people wash their hands after using the public restrooms (need to be a long time) but they open the bathroom door with their bare hands...very bad idea.

 

During code-red, they prop the public restroom doors open

for the folks who are too dim to use a paper towel to open

the door.

[Redwing55]

Not for Noro. Purell does nothing in relation to Noro. That is not to say that using it is a bad idea for germs around buffets generally. But it is not a defense in any way to Noro.

 

I suspect I may be in the minority, but I wonder if Purell potentially increases the spread of Noro. Some people don't think they have to wash their hands as much if using Purell. So, Purell does little to nothing and the hands still can spread the Noro.

I say this since so many people frown on folks that don't use Purell at the Buffett. They may have just washed and have cleaner hands than those using Purell.

 

Just sayin'

[Pansy2801]

Sorry because I think that I was not clear enough when I started the thread. My intention was not to start a new "noro" general discussion . I wanted to see if people who got it on this sailing, can find that 48 hours before they got sick they were doing similar things( as eating in a certain restaurant in one of the three ports we visited, or were going to a certain party on board, or anything else that people on the next seilings could avoid.

[satxdiver]

I suspect I may be in the minority, but I wonder if Purell potentially increases the spread of Noro. Some people don't think they have to wash their hands as much if using Purell. So, Purell does little to nothing and the hands still can spread the Noro.

I say this since so many people frown on folks that don't use Purell at the Buffett. They may have just washed and have cleaner hands than those using Purell.

 

Just sayin'

 

I agree that pax think because they use a hand sanitizer they are safe and do not need to wash their hands thoroughly. I wash my hands thoroughly under warm running water quite often and always before going to eat. I then watch what I touch before hand. I always use the Purell even though I probably did not need it.

[dizlove]

What helps with the Noro syptoms (when prevention fails)? immodium? pepto? anything I should pack in my med bag... just in case.....

[Texas Realtor]

My family was also on this sailing . More than 48 hours after disembarkation we are fine and I hope that we are safe. I want to mention that besides washing hands all the time and sanitizing after using the menu in dinning room, we never ate outside in ports . We did not use public restrooms. We also *did not eat in the buffet, *as we felt that using Purell was not enforced , and saw many people passing by without doing it. I know Purell does not replace washing hands , but it is to be used in addition to hand washing.

 

Since the noro announcement came as we were getting ready to disembark, it seems to me that something happened in one of the ports . I was wondering if cc members who got noro will be willing to think back at what happened 48 hours before they got the symptoms and see if there is anything in common. *It may be useful for everyone ( thinking at future cruises) if we find a possible reason for the outbreak . *

 

Honestly, it is a lost cause as to where it started. The incubation period varies from one to another. It also has a longer life on certain surfaces.

 

I vary well could have also come from a crew member or the food in the buffet.

 

I would like to know too, I was also on the ship. I just don't think you can isolate it to any one person or location given that 266 were diagnosed in relatively short order. Not to mention it is also an airborn virus. You can get it by being in the same room as someone hands washed or not. Precautions do help, but do not eliminate the risks.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I have often wondered how it spreads as DH caught it a few years ago on the IP, and I never got it (we were an inside cabin so I really couldn't get away either) and my friend caught it a year ago on a cruise and her DH didn't get it either. So much for being in close proximity with someone with the virus.

[Amuse Bouche]

I suspect I may be in the minority, but I wonder if Purell potentially increases the spread of Noro. Some people don't think they have to wash their hands as much if using Purell. So, Purell does little to nothing and the hands still can spread the Noro.

I say this since so many people frown on folks that don't use Purell at the Buffett. They may have just washed and have cleaner hands than those using Purell.

 

Just sayin'

 

Sorry OP, You were clear enough, but sometimes others talk to others, so feel free to pass on this post.

 

A little known fact- some soaps, particularly those that contain glycerine, actually make the Norovirus stick to you. Almost nothing short of pure bleach or lighter fluid, I imagine, actually kills the virus. It's like fleas, you have to wash it off and let it go down the drain. I buy Germstar Noro sanitizer and Wet ones wipes. They have an ingredient that makes norovirus release. At least, that's the info that extensive internet surfing has given me. Haven't caught it yet!

[Carolyn R]

Not to mention it is also an airborn virus. You can get it by being in the same room as someone hands washed or not. Precautions do help, but do not eliminate the risks.

 

No, no, no!! Not true. The Norwalk virus is NOT airborne. You contract it by touching an infected surface and then touching your hands to your face (eyes, nose, mouth).

[Texas Realtor]

No, no, no!! Not true. The Norwalk virus is NOT airborne. You contract it by touching an infected surface and then touching your hands to your face (eyes, nose, mouth).

 

Forgive me. I misunderstood the explanation. The virus can be aerisolized when someone vomits, or a toilet is flushed with vomit or diarrhea. Meaning you can be 20 feet from someone that vomits and contract the virus.

[Pansy2801]

What helps with the Noro syptoms (when prevention fails)? immodium? pepto? anything I should pack in my med bag... just in case.....

 

Imodium ( loperamide 2mg) is recomended . 2 capsule to start, and then one after each loose stool. Maybe in the Medical Center there are other options but fortunately I don't know about them. In fact this was the first cruise I've been with a noro outbreak . Made me nervous.

[bookmama22]

My husband and I were on this cruise and we both came down with the virus sometime after we went to sleep Saturday night prior to disembarkation. Needless to say it was not fun and it made disembarkation and getting to the airport and then home difficult. I never heard any announcements made but my husband went down to the medical office early in the morning and was told people had been steadily arriving.

We did nothing at all out of the ordinary on this cruise that I can think off. We only used the bathroom in our cabin, always thoroughly washed our hands, ate breakfast in Da Vinci every day except Day 1 when we did not know they closed at 9 AM, ate dinner in either Da Vinci or Michalangelo, only went to the buffet at lunch to make salad, did have the fish & chips lunch at the Wheelhouse on Tuesday, never went to Vines or the coffee cafe, had our own wine in room pre-dinner and ordered at dinner so never went to any of the bars, only walked through the casino, I did have internet service as I won upgrade to Elite, did use the gym, never used the spa, saw a few shows, MUTS for Life of PI on Thursday night, mostly relaxed on our balcony, did not official excursions in St. Thomas or St. Maarten, enjoyed the beach in Grand Turk, did the Saturday afternoon wine tasting and the chef's demo in the morning.. nothing especially unusual that I can think of. It was not a great way to end a relaxing week and that was all I had wanted to do.. plus revisit both Marigot and St. Thomas has it had been a long time since I'd been there.

[bookmama22]

Just to add to my previous post, my husband said he did hear the annoucement but the PA system did not really work well in our cabin and I might have been either back in the bathroom or trying to sleep, but the annoucement prompted him to get up and go down to the medical office.

[Amuse Bouche]

This could have been "caught" on any random surface on the ship. There's no way to track it down. That's why they do a complete deep cleaning before the next voyage.

 

Best practice is to try not to touch stuff that is touched by virtually everyone, like hand rails. Don't touch your face. Wash your hands well before putting anything in your mouth. Did you know the average person touches their face 3-5 times a minute? Well, at least that's what a million places on the internet says. Even if it's just once a minute, or even once every 5 minutes...it's like rubbing your face across everything you've touched. So, even gloves wouldn't help, since it would be on the surface of the gloves.

 

Either you get lucky, or you don't. Unless you're the one who got on the ship hiding an illness! And that's not bashing them. Realistically, how could they not? But, if they aren't 100%, they should at least try not to infect anyone else.

[gingera]

Does anyone know who was on this particular cruise, was the Noro virus acutally cultured?

[Pansy2801]

Just to add to my previous post, my husband said he did hear the annoucement but the PA system did not really work well in our cabin and I might have been either back in the bathroom or trying to sleep, but the annoucement prompted him to get up and go down to the medical office.

 

Thank you for answering. I'm sorry that you ( and so many other) had to end the vacation this way. Maybe if other will post we'll have an explanation.

 

The anouncement Sunday morning was not heard in staterooms. Only outside. Difficult to hear and understand with the door closed.

[Pansy2801]

Does anyone know who was on this particular cruise, was the Noro virus acutally cultured?

 

I'm sorry, I am not sure that I understand your question . Noro outbreak was announced Sunday morning as we were getting ready to desinbark.

[caribill]

Does anyone know who was on this particular cruise, was the Noro virus acutally cultured?

 

I belive that a post quoting the CDC said samples have been sent to the CDC to determine if it was noro.

[sweetsleep]

The CDC website states that Norovirus is transmitted only by surface contact,water and food. Not by air.

It is not possible to get this virus by being 20 feet away via aerosolization-and thank goodness for that!

The route of this kind of transmission is known as oral/fecal contact.

You would have to come in contact with vomit,diarrhea(stool) or contaminated surfaces to contract it.

Other viruses like chicken pox,for example can be spread through the air.

 

Only surface disinfecants containing sufficient concentrations of bleach will kill it. Even the Clorox wipes you can buy are not effective against it as the bleach content is not high enough.

The alcohol content of things like Purell does nothing to kill this virus.

It is possible to go online and buy disinfectant wipes that kill just about everything- norovirus,even Hepatitis A and B,Tuberculosis, MRSA,etc but they are very expensive. Most hospitals use these disinfectant wipes.

[geocruiser]

Info about Ruby Princess Voyage Dates: March 3-10, 2013 from CDC.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/outbreak/2013/march10_ruby_princess.htm