Coronavirus

[sidari]

David Abel last night said 136, 5 of whom were crew members.

Cruise Industry news has a list of ships currently in Asia.

The UK issue is begining to spiral with an aged folks care home closed to visitors after one of the doctors who was confirmed as having the Virus had made a call there. Officials are also trying to locate others who had been in contact with the businessman who had been in Singapore.

[Bobal]

Bermuda Bound There is nothing anywhere to indicate that the number on Diamond Princess is higher than stated in your stats above  - i.e. it's still 136. I'm guessing you may have glanced at news saying another 63 cases and added them to yesterday's figure, thinking it was a new number today.

[Beardface]

This thread is so outdated

 

All the cool people are talking about COVID-19

 

 

One thing worth noting, while the WHO is still stoking fears about the possibility of where this could go, they have confirmed that over the last few days they have seen a consistent decrease of the number of new cases.  If you follow the Johns Hopkins logarithmic chart, its starting to paint a picture that its slowing down, and likely due to the swift quarantine mandates other countries around the world put into place to stop its spread outside China.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Beardface

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, Bobal said:

Bermuda Bound There is nothing anywhere to indicate that the number on Diamond Princess is higher than stated in your stats above  - i.e. it's still 136. I'm guessing you may have glanced at news saying another 63 cases and added them to yesterday's figure, thinking it was a new number today.

 

Thank you so much!! I hate it when I don't share accurate information and appreciate you :). Looks like I am going to have a lot of reading to do tonight, I haven't even watched David's facebook from yesterday!! Getting ready to officially retire is a lot of work today hahaha

[Bobal]

19 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Thank you so much!! I hate it when I don't share accurate information and appreciate you :). Looks like I am going to have a lot of reading to do tonight, I haven't even watched David's facebook from yesterday!! Getting ready to officially retire is a lot of work today hahaha

 

As something a bit different to David's posts I'm enjoying seeing the posts from @mjswhitebread on twitter. He's posting pics of food and menus every day and, unlike David, is enjoying the food.

[sidari]

The numbers of people infected on the Diamond Princess have increased by 39 overnight, the number included 5 more crew members and one of the Japanese medical team.

[BermudaBound2014]

Does anyone know why the huge jump in numbers last night? I've been swamped and haven't been able to keep up with verifying sources in the news.

 

[BermudaBound2014]

Does anyone know why the huge jump in numbers last night? I've been swamped and haven't been able to keep up with verifying sources in the news.

 

 

 

[CruisinCrow]

5 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Does anyone know why the huge jump in numbers last night? I've been swamped and haven't been able to keep up with verifying sources in the news.

 

 

Yes, from what I read the Wuhan area changed the way they are counting the number of cases.  So it's more of an adjustment to the accounting than a large surge in new cases.  I also read somewhere (maybe CNN?) that they are starting to count patients based on their symptoms instead of waiting for test results so they can get proper treatment for those people sooner.

Edited February 13, 2020 by CruisinCrow

[dorts]

The virus itself is called "SARS-CoV-2" as it is similar to the SARS virsus. The disease people get when infected with SARS-CoV-2 is called "COVID-19"

[CruisingFox27]

We arrived in Singapore on Tuesday and although it was quiet the City was very much business as usual. We've embarked Splendida and our sailing is underway. Passenger numbers are significantly down though, only 1600 sailing. 

[BermudaBound2014]

Just catching up a bit:

 

Diamond Princess numbers are over 200. US is sending planes to gather the US passengers. Flying to Texas where passengers will begin another 14 day quarantine. They aren't happy about the extended quarantine. David Abel has been tested, awaiting results. Is reaching out the Virgin Air's Richard Branson for assistance. 

 

Westerdam: Not good. Finally docked in Cambodia. Were given the clear. Unloaded passengers and took them directly to airport where Passengers were being flown by Malaysia air out of Cambodia. Apparently one US woman tested positive once in Malaysia. eMalaysia air stopped all operations for the Westerdam guests, many are still in Cambodia airport. Sorry this paragraph is vague, news is still breaking.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-american-from-cruise-ship-docked-in-cambodia-tests-positive-for

 

Many more cancellations across most cruise lines are being reported  NCL was trying to make the Jade's trek back across the pond revenue generating but eventually cancelled. Ironically, cruise lines are cancelling entire itineraries due to a single stop in Singapore, but according to Cruisingfox27 (above), MSC is still calling at Singapore. 

 

Today's numbers are 66,000+ with 218 'others'. The others are those on Diamond Princess. Rumor has it these stats are not up to date as 234 is being reported. I think it gets updated in the AM for the Chinese time zone which puts it half a day behing here.  PS: I have LOST flashbacks everytime I post about the 'others'.

[HappyInVan]

34 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Westerdam: Not good. Finally docked in Cambodia. Were given the clear. Unloaded passengers and took them directly to airport where Passengers were being flown by Malaysia air out of Cambodia. Apparently one US woman tested positive once in Malaysia. eMalaysia air stopped all operations for the Westerdam guests, many are still in Cambodia airport. Sorry this paragraph is vague, news is still breaking.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-american-from-cruise-ship-docked-in-cambodia-tests-positive-for

 

 

 

Quarantine every ship that had stopped at ports with infection reported. Or, test every person on board before letting them off the ship. 

 

At this rate, the disease will just jump from city to city.

[BermudaBound2014]

38 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

Quarantine every ship that had stopped at ports with infection reported. Or, test every person on board before letting them off the ship. 

 

At this rate, the disease will just jump from city to city.

 

The way I'm understanding this (and someone please chime in if I have it wrong)..... The test for NCoV is not accurate and there is an extended dormant period. So, someone could have the virus, but test negative day 1, 2, 3.....14 and then test positive on day 15. I've also read some are hypothesizing that the incubation period may be as much as 21 days. 

 

Alan (a table mate of David Abels), tested positive (no symptoms) and was removed from Diamond Princess and put in a Japanese hospital. He then tested negative (twice). The third test came back positive again. This has been going on for 10 days or so (don't quote me on exact timing). He is still without symptoms.

 

The American woman removed from Westerdam tested 'negative' in Cambodia (although I'm not sure if it was an actual test for CoV or just a thermal scan), got on the plane, flew from Cambodia to Malaysia and then tested positive. Since the westerdam has not been under quarantine, no one knows the ramifications just yet. One might suspect they are far reaching.

 

 

[floridian1]

for the people that are positive and aren't showing symptoms - how easily can they actually spread the virus if they are not coughing and sneezing? 

[sidari]

3 minutes ago, floridian1 said:

for the people that are positive and aren't showing symptoms - how easily can they actually spread the virus if they are not coughing and sneezing? 

One guy from the UK picked it up at a business meeting in Singapore, flew to France to ski with friends, 11 others at the same chalet were hospitalised with 5 of them having the virus, one had left to go to Majorca Spain who tested positive.

The guy after getting home visited at least two other places before going to hospital when he felt unwell, two of those from the France 11 also from the UK tested positive and are doctors. Since all 3 arrived home, schools have been closed along with two doctors surgeries and one care home to visitors, others at the hospital's have been affected along with some from places visited by the 3 mentioned.

The businessman had no idea he was carrying the virus.

[sidari]

BB ... It seems that the current tests are not foolproof as has been seen by Alan in Japan.

[CruisinCrow]

28 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

The American woman removed from Westerdam tested 'negative' in Cambodia (although I'm not sure if it was an actual test for CoV or just a thermal scan), got on the plane, flew from Cambodia to Malaysia and then tested positive. Since the westerdam has not been under quarantine, no one knows the ramifications just yet. One might suspect they are far reaching.

 

 

 

I don't see how it could be an actual COVID-19 test.  Doesn't it take 2-3 days to get results back?  They must be using some other measurement.

[onetimearoundtheworld]

3 minutes ago, CruisinCrow said:

I don't see how it could be an actual COVID-19 test.  Doesn't it take 2-3 days to get results back?  They must be using some other measurement.

 

There are tests that itself need less than 2 hours. It depends how many places can conduct the test and how the transport is organised for the total time. 

[BermudaBound2014]

19 minutes ago, onetimearoundtheworld said:

 

There are tests that itself need less than 2 hours. It depends how many places can conduct the test and how the transport is organised for the total time. 

 

CruisinCrow: The above is my understanding as well. In the case of the Anthem, the tests needed to be run in Atlanta, so transporting from NJ to Atlanta is the reason it took so long. With that said, there is a lot of conflicting reports and I do not think that reporters are being cautious enough with the words they choose. Example: Some reporters said that passengers from Westerdam were screened before departing (to me this means thermal scan). Other reporters are saying Westerdam passengers were tested (to me this means actually tested for NCoV). It's confusing for me. Others might understand the difference between testing and screening perfectly well.

[HappyInVan]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

The way I'm understanding this (and someone please chime in if I have it wrong)..... The test for NCoV is not accurate and there is an extended dormant period. So, someone could have the virus, but test negative day 1, 2, 3.....14 and then test positive on day 15. I've also read some are hypothesizing that the incubation period may be as much as 21 days. 

 

Alan (a table mate of David Abels), tested positive (no symptoms) and was removed from Diamond Princess and put in a Japanese hospital. He then tested negative (twice). The third test came back positive again. This has been going on for 10 days or so (don't quote me on exact timing). He is still without symptoms.

 

 

 

 

Why did they test the pax repeatedly if he has no symptoms? I think that the Japanese government understands the nature of the problem better than the general public.

 

I've already addressed an issue in Post 810 here...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2731085-news-on-the-westerdam/page/33/?tab=comments#comment-59407245

 

I'm not a science person. So, this is my understanding of the matter.

 

The body has natural defences against intrusions into the body. Anti-bodies form against an antigen. The quick laboratory tests look for the anti-bodies as a sign of the disease.

 

These tests may fail to identify the disease if the body fails to react to the disease. In advanced stages of the disease, there should be anti-bodies present. The problem is that the patient may spread the disease before he is isolated.

 

On the flip side, the infected's natural defences may be enough to suppress the disease. No obvious signs of infection. The antibodies in the body is a sign of that struggle.

 

The problem is that if the infected is weakened by another disease, the COVID 19 can switch from dormant to active.

 

The difficult nature of this disease is that it is a respiratory disease, but many patients often exhibit less sneezing etc than others. The complication is that flu medicine may mostly suppress the sneezing etc temporarily.

 

That's why I favour a thorough multiple process. Quarantine of all vessels to prevent it from spreading. Temperature scans to identify possibles. Confirmation from laboratory tests. Testing of all before releasing them from quarantine.

 

Ideally, tests again after disembarkation. As I said in the other thread. This could be the game changer for the travel industry.

 

SARS erupted in 2002. Then mutated and vanished after 2004. All we an do is to mount a defensive action until CoVID 19 runs its course.

 

In the meantime, the common flu will remain a problem every year. Humans are an excellent host, and we have co-existed long enough for the disease to have a low mortality rate.

 

 

[onetimearoundtheworld]

It seems to make a difference as well from where you take the specimens. From the upper airways are probably what is used most for convenience but not as efficient. 

There are more voices from people in the medical field now suspecting that there are infected people all over the places already. As many seem to never get serious symptoms I would guess on many cruise ships and airplanes we now have people with SARS-CoV-2.

 

As far as I know there are no tests for anti-bodies yet. 

[sidari]

David Abel and his wife both had throat swabs carried out yesterday, they were told the results take three days, their Quarantine ends in 4 days!

[sidari]

27 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

CruisinCrow: The above is my understanding as well. In the case of the Anthem, the tests needed to be run in Atlanta, so transporting from NJ to Atlanta is the reason it took so long. With that said, there is a lot of conflicting reports and I do not think that reporters are being cautious enough with the words they choose. Example: Some reporters said that passengers from Westerdam were screened before departing (to me this means thermal scan). Other reporters are saying Westerdam passengers were tested (to me this means actually tested for NCoV). It's confusing for me. Others might understand the difference between testing and screening perfectly well.

Latest HAL release said all passengers and crew were temperature tested while onboard.

[HappyInVan]

44 minutes ago, onetimearoundtheworld said:

As far as I know there are no tests for anti-bodies yet. 

 

 

Actually, yes ...

 

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/antibody-coombs-test#1

 

For COVID19, they're doing this ...

 

"The WHO has published several testing protocols for SARS-CoV-2 (also known as 2019-nCoV).[125][126] Testing uses real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).[3] The test can be done on respiratory or blood samples.[127] Results are generally available within a few hours to days.[128][129]

Chinese scientists were able to isolate a strain of the coronavirus and publish the genetic sequence so that laboratories across the world could independently develop PCR tests to detect infection by the virus."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_Wuhan_coronavirus_outbreak#Diagnosis

 

I have no idea what PCR involves. Over to you guys.