Two Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess test positive to coronavirus in Darwin

[MMDown Under]

Two Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess test positive to coronavirus in Darwin.  Their conditions are only mild and they have been kept in isolation.  Evacuees will continue to be tested.

ABC News 

The Australian Government's decision to isolate evacuees for 14 days in Darwin has proven to be a wise one.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yes, a very wise decision. 

 

I sort of expected this might happen. I don't think the experts have really pinned down how long the incubation period is for this virus. 

[The_Big_M]

I don't think it's incubation as it hasn't been an issue elsewhere - including all those released already from Christmas Island. The containment on Diamond Princess wasn't secure, so the quarantine wasn't effective. Cases just continue to grow there as it continued to be spread.

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's hard to tell. If the incubation period is up to 24 days as has been mentioned a few times then those people could still have been infected pre-quarantine.

 

If not then other factors come into consideration such as:

 

- if they had a balcony cabin did they have their balcony door open this changing the air pressure in the cabin and allowing possibly contaminated air from the hallways to enter the cabin?

 

- if they had a balcony cabin did they stand out on it, not wearing masks, while people were coughing and sneezing above them and/or did they touch the balcony railings then their faces without washing their hands first? 

 

- were the food trays/containers contaminated?

 

- did they have any contact with other passengers not sharing a cabin with them, ie whilst having an outdoor exercise break?

 

- did the person doing their initial test pass on the virus somehow?

 

- does the virus propagate through the air con - although from info I've read elsewhere this would be unlikely.

[Pushka]

As the woman who is now being flown to Adelaides RAH this afternoon tested positive very quickly on arrival here, then unfortunately she was also likely infectious on the ship, the bus to the airport and the flight to Australia. So the next question is - how long will everyone be in quarantine here given that unlike the Christmas Island group, there were no positive results at all yet they came from Hubei province. The virus on Diamond seems to have morphed into a highly infectious one. 

[The_Big_M]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It's hard to tell. If the incubation period is up to 24 days as has been mentioned a few times then those people could still have been infected pre-quarantine.

 

If not then other factors come into consideration such as:

 

- if they had a balcony cabin did they have their balcony door open this changing the air pressure in the cabin and allowing possibly contaminated air from the hallways to enter the cabin?

 

- if they had a balcony cabin did they stand out on it, not wearing masks, while people were coughing and sneezing above them and/or did they touch the balcony railings then their faces without washing their hands first? 

 

- were the food trays/containers contaminated?

 

- did they have any contact with other passengers not sharing a cabin with them, ie whilst having an outdoor exercise break?

 

- did the person doing their initial test pass on the virus somehow?

 

- does the virus propagate through the air con - although from info I've read elsewhere this would be unlikely.

 

You just need to read the report from the Japanese infectious expert. A lot of failings reported onboard and he detailed some, including a few pictures. It should be added, Princess transferred control of that environment to the authorities. So not blaming Princess here, but the quarantine does not appear to have been effective in many ways.

[MicCanberra]

I am glad that they are on top of it. If I have one criticism (in regards to the Diamond), they should have got the aussie pax off quicker, although the diplomatic fallout may have had their hands tied.

[MMDown Under]

19 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Two Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess test positive to coronavirus in Darwin.  Their conditions are only mild and they have been kept in isolation.  Evacuees will continue to be tested.

ABC News 

The Australian Government's decision to isolate evacuees for 14 days in Darwin has proven to be a wise one.  

An  additional two Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess have tested positive to coronavirus in Darwin.  They are two women from Qld.  

ABC News

[MicCanberra]

I will be surprised if it stops at the four people affected but at least it will stop in the Evacuation centre.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I will be surprised if it stops at the four people affected but at least it will stop in the Evacuation centre.

It depends on how tight the quarantine is there. 

[MicCanberra]

31 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It depends on how tight the quarantine is there. 

I think it will be much better than on the Diamond.

[MMDown Under]

4 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

An  additional two Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess have tested positive to coronavirus in Darwin.  They are two women from Qld.  

ABC News

Plus a further two additional Australian evacuees from Diamond Princess have been tested positive to coronavirus in Darwin.  They are from Victoria.  All people tested positive are transferred direct from the facility to their home state.  Currently, that is an extra four in all.  Another three are being tested this morning, so they expect more people possibly requiring isolation.  All are reasonably well. 

ABC News

[MMDown Under]

15 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I am glad that they are on top of it. If I have one criticism (in regards to the Diamond), they should have got the aussie pax off quicker, although the diplomatic fallout may have had their hands tied.

I was disappointed that Australian government organised flights back to Australia for Aussies/Kiwis on board, after the Americans organised flights for Americans  Why couldn't Australia lead the way!

I think it was a good idea to bring evacuees from Diamond Princess back to a central isolated facility in Darwin, with the arrangement that any evacuees who were tested positive later would be transferred by air ambulance to their home state. 

 

[Pushka]

5 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I was disappointed that Australian government organised flights back to Australia for Aussies/Kiwis on board, after the Americans organised flights for Americans  Why couldn't Australia lead the way!

I think it was a good idea to bring evacuees from Diamond Princess back to a central isolated facility in Darwin, with the arrangement that any evacuees who were tested positive later would be transferred by air ambulance to their home state. 

 

I didn’t even give the timing a thought and I don’t think too many would worry about who was first. And I’d say they were positive long before they arrived into Australia even though a negative test (that in reality was negative two days prior). The SA woman was ill on the plane. So potentially many on that plane have been exposed as have the crew I’d say. 

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, Pushka said:

I didn’t even give the timing a thought and I don’t think too many would worry about who was first. And I’d say they were positive long before they arrived into Australia even though a negative test (that in reality was negative two days prior). The SA woman was ill on the plane. So potentially many on that plane have been exposed as have the crew I’d say. 

I agree that others passengers could have been exposed to the virus, but I don't think the crew would have. It was announced that food and drink were placed on each seat before the passengers boarded. The crew stayed in the upstairs section of the plane and the flight crew were in their cabin with a different air supply. All crew will stay at home for two weeks before returning to work. BTW, they were all volunteers.

[Pushka]

38 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I agree that others passengers could have been exposed to the virus, but I don't think the crew would have. It was announced that food and drink were placed on each seat before the passengers boarded. The crew stayed in the upstairs section of the plane and the flight crew were in their cabin with a different air supply. All crew will stay at home for two weeks before returning to work. BTW, they were all volunteers.

Yeah, I was extrapolating there. 😆
The Government is now allowing Year 11 and 12 students into Australia from China as long as they aren’t coming from Hubei. Uni students will be considered next. 
 

I think this will likely become a virus that circulates the world like the flu virus with the exception that as yet there is no vaccine or immunisation. 

Edited February 22, 2020 by Pushka

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Yeah, I was extrapolating there. 😆
The Government is now allowing Year 11 and 12 students into Australia from China as long as they aren’t coming from Hubei. Uni students will be considered next. 
 

I think this will likely become a virus that circulates the world like the flu virus with the exception that as yet there is no vaccine or immunisation. 

During the Swine Flu epidemic, doctors were quoted as saying that it would become "just another strain of the flu". Maybe the same will happen with the coronavirus. I still don't want to get it.🙂

[Pushka]

19 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

During the Swine Flu epidemic, doctors were quoted as saying that it would become "just another strain of the flu". Maybe the same will happen with the coronavirus. I still don't want to get it.🙂

Two relatives of mine developed swine flu. Both in their late teens. One was quite unwell for a couple of days, the other one just for a day or so. Both were tested - the mild one because he went with his mum to hospital because she works here. 

[Brisbane41]

19 hours ago, Pushka said:

Yeah, I was extrapolating there. 😆
The Government is now allowing Year 11 and 12 students into Australia from China as long as they aren’t coming from Hubei. Uni students will be considered next. 
 

I think this will likely become a virus that circulates the world like the flu virus with the exception that as yet there is no vaccine or immunisation. 

I really do not like that idea just yet. The problem is that the chinese communist party was very devious in their dealings with this virus early on and they sat back and tried to hide it while tens of thousands of people became infected and died. Too many people escaped the source of it and the incubation period is far too long to even consider letting and Chinese person back or into this country. Assuming a plane load of Chinese came here who were supposedly all clear, all it takes is one person to slip through the net and spread it on the plane and then two weeks after arrival they are giving it to everyone and it is growing out of control.

[Pushka]

11 minutes ago, Brisbane41 said:

I really do not like that idea just yet. The problem is that the chinese communist party was very devious in their dealings with this virus early on and they sat back and tried to hide it while tens of thousands of people became infected and died. Too many people escaped the source of it and the incubation period is far too long to even consider letting and Chinese person back or into this country. Assuming a plane load of Chinese came here who were supposedly all clear, all it takes is one person to slip through the net and spread it on the plane and then two weeks after arrival they are giving it to everyone and it is growing out of control.

Agree re the deceit shown by the Government. The battle was lost way back then. 

Apparently there are strict criteria in place. To be honest whatever we do the virus will come in eventually and we are just delaying it not stopping it. Swine flu pretty much went throughout the country and then it just disappeared. 

[NSWP]

Self quarantine here with the Chinese students won't work.  They will be seen wandering out the Haymarket in Sydney with masks on, as they are doing now.  Just go downtown in Sydney and check 'em out.

Edited February 23, 2020 by NSWP

[MicCanberra]

I am not overly worried about the Chinese students coming here and then the subsequent Uni students, as they will be checked as they arrive and monitored. These students tend to stay pretty close to the schools and universities and their accommodations.

[The_Big_M]

But pretty close doesn't prevent spread, especially as most are near high density centres e.g. Haymarket, Town Hall, Central.

 

That said, I am not overly worried either.

[lyndarra]

23 hours ago, NSWP said:

Self quarantine here with the Chinese students won't work.  They will be seen wandering out the Haymarket in Sydney with masks on, as they are doing now.  Just go downtown in Sydney and check 'em out.

How can you tell if they are students? Ask to see their student i/d cards? They could be 100% Aussies or local business employees. They could be visitors from other countries outside Asia with Asian ethnicity. Young tourists on work visas, not necessarily of Chinese origin.

On my recent HAL NZ cruise there were quite a few Asian looking cruisers and when chatting with them most had N. American accents, also, some were Ozzie and some English. Big mistake judging by appearance.

[MicCanberra]

Hmmm, You know what they say about judging books by the cover.