Just Back - Norovirus Outbreak On Caribbean Princess - 4/1-4/8

[BluIDblonde]

TO CODEX57........Just another FYI in regards going to the ER for vomitting. My son many times HAD to be treated in the ER for continuous vomitting. There is some sort of reaction that occurs in his body that makes the vomitting contiue. Without IV injections for nausea and others fluids, he could be placed in a very dangerous situation.

[mancunian]

If norovirus is supposed to be carried by touch or in food, why did Princess tape up the door vents on ill passengers?

[jlp20]

Here is a web site I go to every so often just to get the facts when a cruise line has an accident or there is negative news:

 

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

 

Anyway, I hadn’t noticed this before, but a bit down from the top of the home page is another link:

 

Cruising Health: INVALUABLE RESOURCE ON NOROVIRUS ON CRUISE SHIPS

 

Interesting reading

[mennisdiller]

Just got back from the same cruise and it seems my brother-in-law got it on the way home. I'm wondering if Princess and the CDC consider the people who get it as they step off the ship as one of their numbers for the statistics. The CDC website isn't showing anything because the number is still under 3%.

[FloridaLaura]

If Purell is not effective is there an alternative choice with bleach in it?

[nrdsb4]

Just got back from the same cruise and it seems my brother-in-law got it on the way home. I'm wondering if Princess and the CDC consider the people who get it as they step off the ship as one of their numbers for the statistics. The CDC website isn't showing anything because the number is still under 3%.

 

 

How could they? If people are not symptomatic before they leave the ship, then how would the cruiseline know they were ill? Further, without a doctor's diagnosis, how would they know they were ill with Norovirus? A passenger who calls after the fact and "decides" they have Noro is not a case that should be reported to the CDC. There are many GI illnesses and one cannot make assumptions based on patient self-diagnoses.

 

I often read here how the cruise ships try to "cover themselves" by only reporting the cases that show up to the infirmary, but that's the only way they CAN report it. They aren't allowed to take a steward's word for it, he has no standing to make medical diagnoses, nor can they really report illnesses to CDC based on reports on internet sites. They only report cases that show up to the medical staff and receive an official diagnosis. And that's as it should be.

[tc2828]

Just wonder if someone knows how long the incubation period for the norovirus symptoms to start?

[nrdsb4]

Just wonder if someone knows how long the incubation period for the norovirus symptoms to start?

 

 

Here is information regarding Noro from the CDC web site:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm

 

As to your specific question:

 

When do symptoms appear?

 

Symptoms of norovirus illness usually begin about 24 to 48 hours after ingestion of the virus, but they can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure.

[happyscot]

If Purell is not effective is there an alternative choice with bleach in it?

 

 

Yes. Bleach.

 

Ow!

 

:D

[paradiseseekers]

If norovirus is supposed to be carried by touch or in food, why did Princess tape up the door vents on ill passengers?

 

Good question...????:confused:

[jlp20]

If norovirus is supposed to be carried by touch or in food, why did Princess tape up the door vents on ill passengers?

 

Just a theory. In your standard room there is a vent above the bed. The airflow is always coming into the cabin through this opening. There is a smaller exhaust vent in the bathroom, taking fog and odors exclusive to that room, out. Because the intake vent blows out about three times the air volume in than the bathroom exhaust, there is positive air pressure in all the rooms. The excess air exits the cabin through the grill in the main door, into the passageway.

 

My first experience with this was on the Sea Princess. As soon as we exited out cabin, we were assaulted with the odor of Ben-Gay” until we got to the elevators, this lasted for 7 days. So, if only one person is “ill”, in any area, the odor of vomit would be in the area for however long. Just a guess, they’re looking at the comfort level of the healthy passengers.

[Janet Foster]

I was on the next cruise (APRIL 8TH) after the outbreak from the prior cruise (APRIL 1st). When we first got to port we were handed health statements that we had to fill out to advise if we had been sick in the last two days with any vomiting or diarrhea. Then we were handed a paper that stated the Princess Caribbean had an outbreak of the Noro Virus on the last cruise and because of this they were doing an extensive sanitization. Due to the sanitizing process our boarding would be delayed until 1pm. We also were advised not to use any of the public restrooms and we were told to use the hand sanitziers frequently.

We also saw the cruise employees with rubber gloves on, serving everyone at the buffets. You were not allowed to touch anything. There also were hand sanitizers at the entrances of the main dining rooms and also when coming back on board at the different ports. Everyone would use their sanitizers after handling the life vests for the muster drill and after touching the railings on the stairs.

Once I entered my cabin, I brought my own lysol disinfectant clothes and I wiped the room down myself. I didn't miss anything. Better safe than sorry.

 

I didn't hear of anyone being sick while I was on the cruise last week.

[britt-britt]

We to were on the April 8th sailing after being told of the outbreak the previous week, we made sure to wash our hands often. We asked our room steward if anyone near our room had had it and she said yes in fact the previous passangers in our stateroom did. So I cleaned everything with sanitizer including the phone, remote control, door handles, light switches, etc. Thankfully we never got sick and didn't hear of anyone getting sick. We had a wonderful time. So don't worry and have a wonderful cruise.