Norovirus doubled????

[harrodsfan]

:confused: According to the events at sea web site the norovirus incidents are already almost what they were for the whole year of 2005.....

What is up???

I know that one can get a stomach virus anywhere....but why is it double last year???(and the last few years) already...

Sure turns me off cruising......(Have had the virus on the American Queen in 1999.) Hope the cruise industry does more to eliminate it although I dont' know what exactly they can do...Any ideas out there...?????

[jlp20]

Only one answer, people are getting on the ship that are infected or already sick. Since there has not been a report of a doubling of people getting the Norovirus on shore, it is logical to assume that the same number of people are getting onboard as always. However, there are people who realize they are sick and decide to stay home. If what you say is true, more pax who KNOW they are ill are lying about any illness and getting on the ship anyway.

__________________

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[Kcarp]

:confused: According to the events at sea web site

What website?

[JunPOA]

I beleive the OP might have been referencing cruise-junkie found @:

 

http://www.cruisejunkie.com/outbreaks2006.html

 

Other web resorces for G-I Illness Outbreak data on primarily American" flagged ships can be found @:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm#2006

 

http://www.*****/cruise_epidemics.html

the later is not government sponsored and not all inclusive.

[Happy ks]

It would be interesting to find out if the virus is double in every other venue as well. I've never thought it to be terribly fair that cruise ships have to report incidents, but not hotels, schools, office buildings etc... until a much higher percentage of people get sick from it.

 

Please remember it is the people on the ship getting you sick, not the ship itself.

[JunPOA]

Can't speak to if & how hotels are regularly inspected but I do know tha school's are regularly inspected and reports are public information through local health departments. I beleive hotels that have any involvement in food preparation are also inspected - but am unclear of what local authority/ jurisdiction is responsible.

 

BTW - these days many states are publicly reporting on their state health dept. homepages the quality of (health care) performance measures across across various provider levels like hospitals, nursing homes, etc. This seems to drive quality improvement though market competition while simultaneously enabling consumers to make informed decisions regarding their health care providers.

 

The Federal government aslo has a website where consumers can assess and compare the quality of hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, home health care. If interested go to: www.medicare.gov

 

Seems to be an overall agenda of increased "transparency" for this Presidentail administration.

 

Who knows maybe there will come a day - hopefully soon where traveling consumers can also make more informed decsion-making surrounding their vacations - including cruises based on factual performance data from the cruiselines.

[harrodsfan]

Yes it is the cruise junkie web site I was reviewing...

Also it seems more and more posters are mentioning "Code REd."

It seems to be all over the lines...

agree it would be great to see the same statistics for hotels..etc.

I have fortunately never been on a noro ship... or fortunatley a ship with bags put out for seasickness...Guess I have been really lucky.

[JunPOA]

I beleive the OP might have been referencing cruise-junkie found @:

 

http://www.cruisejunkie.com/outbreaks2006.html

 

Other web resorces for G-I Illness Outbreak data on primarily American" flagged ships can be found @:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm#2006

 

http://www.*****/cruise_epidemics.html

the later is not government sponsored and not all inclusive.

Sorry I meant to say data on foreign flagged ships not US flaged ships. Unfortunately there is little public data available from our government souces (FDA) :eek: on US flagged ships - so you're on your own other than scattered reports on CC, cruisejunkie, *****.

Call your Congressman to make FDA more transparent is getting this info open to the public. In Connecticut Sen Shay and Martland Congressman Cummings are all too familiar with lack of regulation over the cruise industry in general.

[bububr]

Its really difficult for ships to control what a person brings on board regarding illness, if not impossible. So lets NOT blame the cruise ships, its inconsiderate passengers that do the damage.

 

Secondly, unlike private business, hotels, and other venues...ships are REQUIRED to report illness once it reaches a certain number.

 

The worst cases of NORO tend to invade the elderly in nursing homes, not due to the ages, but because of the infrequency to bathe. This in not of major interest to the news media, thus we rarely hear about them. And these folks are not usually travelling.

 

The next worst cases are in primary, and middle schools. These are most likely the culprets of the cruise out breaks. Once again, "kids will be kids" and tend to spread illnesses more frequently to their friends and parents due the infrequency of hand washing, not covering their mouths when sneezing, etc....

 

Or is it a coincidence that the worst out breaks occur during holidays and school breaks, especially the spring?

 

As a matter of fact MANY schools have been shut down, prior to and during the spring breaks due to the numbers of sick kids with NORO. Once again, we NEVER hear about these, or they are at the back of the newspapers. These are the kids that parens may drag along because thier vacation is more important the the health and consideration of others, in my opinion.

 

While the actual incubation period could be up to 4 days, many families and individuals simply board the ships either knowing they are ill, or not knowing they have contacted the virus.

 

You can catch this in a cab or bus on the way to the pier, or on the plane on the flight in, or in a hotel or restaurant prior to embarking.

 

How often do they steralize the seats or trays on an aircraft? As far as I know after 6 years with the airlines...NONE. Have you ever seen a cab driver spray down the door handles or seats prior to you getting in? or do you jump in after the last passenger....maybe that guy had the plague...

Mass commutes on subways and trains with people sneezing and then touching everything......

 

Its not the cruiseline industry folks, its out bad, inconsiderate hygenic practices in America.

 

Any one seen "An incoveniate truth"?

 

Part of the point is that with global warning and OVERPOPULATION...that we are seeing more and more illness', especially resistant strains. With the popularity of the cruise industry, more and more from different back grounds are now cruising.

 

Hence we have a global shopping mall for virus and disease contained on a ship, add a few inconsiderate passengers, and a couple who refuse to wash hands or follow recommendations and we have a wild fire out break.

 

Dave:eek:

[Nliedel]

Some years you get more than other years. They are also on top of it more. Quicker to diagnose and report. I'd not be alarmed. I would wash your hands more.

[Spikesgirl]

Could it be that more people are cruising than ever before? The more that crusing becomes an option for people, the frequency of illness goes up. It could also be that the mind frame is that it's the cruiselines problem, not the passengers and they don't take the necessary precautions. However - I'm very cautious about hand washing, santiation, the whole nine yards and had Noro about a week ago - in my home. Unless it's a pandemic these days, those flu cases don't make the news.

 

I was also under the impression that cruisejunkie isn't always pro cruising and have been turned off by something of the things read on that site.

 

Charlie