Covid-19 Confirmed on Hurtigruten vessel

[Scspartan76]

https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/rABORw/smitteutbrudd-paa-hurtigruten

 

 

Covid 19 has been confirmed on Hurtigruten's Roald Amundsen today. 

 

3 crew in hospital, hope they have a speedy recovery

[bob brown]

Terrible news...I certainly hope they all have a speedy recovery.   I am afraid Hurtigruten may receive some flack for returning to cruises too early.   I thought that they handled our situation back in March, as well as anyone could have, and our crew on the Amundsen was wonderful....

 

This might set back the return to cruising for the entire industry, unfortunately....🙁

[hallasm]

Here is Press release (Norwegian language)

Updated to 4 crew members - so far non of the 171 passengers tested positive.
The sailing today from Tromsø for a Svalbard expedition Cruise is cancelled.

[jakob71]

Roald Amundsen is now in port in Tromsø, Norway.

The ship is isolated, and all 160 crew members on board will be tested for COVID-19.

It is informed that Hurtigruten is working to contact everyone who sailed with Roald Amundsen, 17 and 24 July.

 

 

[grayjay]

We were supposed to sail today on 15day circumnavigation of Svalbard. 120 passengers denied boarding today were disappointed and deeply unhappy. But it was thd right thing to cancel, of course.

But it doesn't bode well for the cruise industry in general because Hurtigruten and Norway with their careful policy concerning the virus were the only ones I was wiiling to trust with a cruise..

[Mistymya]

33 confirmed cases among the staff. One passenger was confirmed with covid after returning home after the previous cruise.

 

https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/totalt-33-smittede-blant-mannskapet-om-bord-pa-ms-roald-amundsen-1.15107827

[BigAl94]

https://www.folkebladet.no/nyheter/2020/08/01/33-Hurtigruten-ansatte-testet-positivt-for-covid-19-22395796.ece?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&fbclid=IwAR0lgdaiqDwohgb1col27jqJgsxAU3R00C-IgGRNcxA50n5ws8c2jjuduOs

[icepeople]

English-language article from newspaper in Svalbard, where the ship took its two fateful voyages:
 

At least 33 crew members aboard Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen during a voyage to Svalbard that ended Friday have tested positive for COVID-19, one day after officials initially reported two employees tested positive shortly before the ship docked.

 

In addition, all passengers from the trip and one the previous week during voyages in Svalbard since July 17 must be quarantined at the order of  Norwegian health authorities. One passenger from the first voyage tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

 

The initial reports of infects raised questions locally and globally – which are almost certain to intensify now – about whether cruises were allowed to resume too soon after a ban on them in Norway was enacted due to the pandemic…

http://icepeople.net/2020/08/01/all-passengers-must-now-be-quarantined-one-passenger-aboard-hurtigruten-ship-during-svalbard-cruise-has-w-covid-19-hometowns-of-all-passengers-being-notified/

Edited August 1, 2020 by icepeople
Add text and photo

[JT1962]

This does not look like a promising start to the return of cruises. If they cannot prevent this on one ship with all their procedures, how will a mainstream cruise line ever return to sailing a full schedule without a vaccine being available and required to sail?

[Syracuse44]

Not sure what this cruise line was thinking going out so early in the midst of a pandemic.  They have set the return of the cruise industry back six months to a year with since they were obviously did not have a clue what they were doing in terms of crew safety.
 

Now how even worse news when we find out how many passengers are sick.  The passengers found out through the news media.  Bankruptcy is next for this cruise lines. 
 

 

[Oslo Dutch]

Having been for 11 days on Finnmarken last month I am not surprised as social distancing was not too much enforced. Especially in front of the dining room there were at times long lines and crowding.

Finnmarken has been refurbished and has now minimal lounge space, and at time I felt uncomfortable as the lounge was a bit too crowded at times.

 

 

 

[donaldsc]

What I can not figure is why the crew were not tested, quarantined and then tested again before they were allowed to board the ship.  If Hurtigruten with small ships can't prevent a Coved outbreak, how can we expect a larger ships with many many more crew members to keep Coved at bay?

 

DON 

[floatn]

20 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

What I can not figure is why the crew were not tested, quarantined and then tested again before they were allowed to board the ship.  If Hurtigruten with small ships can't prevent a Coved outbreak, how can we expect a larger ships with many many more crew members to keep Coved at bay?

 

DON 

It may have been brought onboard by a passenger, not a crew member.

[jonikal]

More details here:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/covid-outbreak-hurtigruten-norway/

[bones774]

If Hurtigruten with small ships can't prevent a Coved outbreak, how can we expect a larger ships with many many more crew members to keep Coved at bay?

 

 

If this same amount of people were not on a ship at any time how many of them would've had corona virus anyway?

[SeaHunt]

Wrong thread, sorry!

Edited August 1, 2020 by SeaHunt
sorry wrong thread

[jonikal]

Hurtigruten has always been lax with communicating information to passengers.  We have made several voyages with them and this has always been a problem.  In this case, it is an egregious mistake not to have paid meticulous medical attention, in a timely manner, for the crew members who got sick thereby avoiding the spread of the virus to others as well as passengers.

  

[luxecruisers]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

What I can not figure is why the crew were not tested, quarantined and then tested again before they were allowed to board the ship.  If Hurtigruten with small ships can't prevent a Coved outbreak, how can we expect a larger ships with many many more crew members to keep Coved at bay?

 

DON 

 

We can't make assumptions that a crew member was the source. Non-Norwegian crew members had to get two negative COVID tests before leaving their countries and be put into quarantine before sailing. Articles don't talk about passenger testing; many of the passengers were foreigners. 

[richws]

7 hours ago, luxecruisers said:

 

We can't make assumptions that a crew member was the source. Non-Norwegian crew members had to get two negative COVID tests before leaving their countries and be put into quarantine before sailing. Articles don't talk about passenger testing; many of the passengers were foreigners. 

Do you have information/a source for statement that "many of the passengers were foreign"? This is not suggested in anything I have read.

[ighten]

Sorry but you will never stop Covid on a ship -- this will and is bound to happen.. BUT you have the same if not more chance of getting infected at a shopping mall or supermarket or bar etc etc.. 

 

The world is going to have to get used to this and stop heading into disaster mode every time something happens .. Even if  there is ever  a Vaccine or not Covid is here to stay for a long time yet.. 

 

The important thing however is that when it appears we have the facilities to deal with it .. Hurti seem to have dropped the ball a little on this one (though it depends if you read their version or the drama press version just how far they dropped it).. 

 

Someone had to start cruising to get things rolling - but its up to them to get it right when a case occurs (because there will be little or no chance of it not being brought onboard any ship, shopping mall, bar, supermarket etc etc etc)

 

 

[jonikal]

21 minutes ago, ighten said:

Sorry but you will never stop Covid on a ship -- this will and is bound to happen.. BUT you have the same if not more chance of getting infected at a shopping mall or supermarket or bar etc etc.. 

 

The world is going to have to get used to this and stop heading into disaster mode every time something happens .. Even if  there is ever  a Vaccine or not Covid is here to stay for a long time yet.. 

 

The important thing however is that when it appears we have the facilities to deal with it .. Hurti seem to have dropped the ball a little on this one (though it depends if you read their version or the drama press version just how far they dropped it).. 

 

Someone had to start cruising to get things rolling - but its up to them to get it right when a case occurs (because there will be little or no chance of it not being brought onboard any ship, shopping mall, bar, supermarket etc etc etc)

 

 

 

Unless new medical-grade H13 High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are installed on ships, the virus will continue to spread within the confines of a vessel.  These filters are estimated to remove 99.95% of all airborne pathogens that are 0.1 microns or larger.  Cruise companies, in order to stay in business, will need to invest in the necessary adjustments.  

 

 

[WH_Cruise]

sadly very obvious proof that cruising is pretty much done

[RJB]

On 7/31/2020 at 11:54 AM, bob brown said:

Terrible news...I certainly hope they all have a speedy recovery.   I am afraid Hurtigruten may receive some flack for returning to cruises too early.   I thought that they handled our situation back in March, as well as anyone could have, and our crew on the Amundsen was wonderful....

 

This might set back the return to cruising for the entire industry, unfortunately....🙁

Sure will.  Just reinforces the need for a vaccine for people to feel safe so they can sail again.  All the cleaning in the world and all the masks will not replace a vaccine.  Might as well shut down until then.  Too bad as we really want to cruise again, but just not at the expense of our health.

[Sue from Canada]

8 hours ago, jonikal said:

 

Unless new medical-grade H13 High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are installed on ships, the virus will continue to spread within the confines of a vessel.  These filters are estimated to remove 99.95% of all airborne pathogens that are 0.1 microns or larger.  Cruise companies, in order to stay in business, will need to invest in the necessary adjustments.  

 

 

I agree with you.  Another point is inside cabins which will have to be either dirt cheap or remain closed to bookings.  Outside cabins may have to have small windows that can open at the top for fresh air.

[Sue from Canada]

2 hours ago, RJB said:

Sure will.  Just reinforces the need for a vaccine for people to feel safe so they can sail again.  All the cleaning in the world and all the masks will not replace a vaccine.  Might as well shut down until then.  Too bad as we really want to cruise again, but just not at the expense of our health.

But so many people will opt out of the vaccine.  Just look at how many people don't get the flu shot or parents who refuse to get their kids vaccinated.  Cruise lines in the future will have to demand proof that you've had a Covid shot or else you don't sail.