Magic 11/16/02 Illness - THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN POST ABOUT THIS INCIDENT

[KenP]

I'm on board the Disney Magic and today is 11/21/02. Rcvd letter from Captain today that 3% of passengers and crew have come down with a diarheal/flu like illness.

This is not unheard of on a cruise ship. CNN carried story today about a Holland America Ship from Ft Lauderdale that had an outbreak and is taking the cruise ship offline for 10 days to break the cycle. Norwalk virus there - we haven
t been told (and they probably don't know what caused it yet).

The virus is spread by the "fecal-oral" route which means that some one is sick, gets their body fluids on their hands, doesn't wash their hands then touches someone elses hands who in turn puts their hands near their mouth.

Sanitation and extra handwashing should stop it. Disney is taking extra precautions like taking the condiments off the bar at Pluto's doghouse and having the servers apply the tomatoes, ketchup etc.

This kind of thing can happen anytime their are a large number of people in a confined area.

 

[JODIELYN]

Wow! Praying things get better on the Magic soon!

I always get laughed at and stared at when people observe my "public bathroom habits". But it is just for reasons like this that i continue them.

When i wash my hands i always get my paper towel first... once i have washed my hands with soap i don't touch ANYTHING with my hands in the bathroom, ie: using towel to turn off the faucet, open the door, etc...

I wish people would realize the consequences of skipping the handwashing steps...

Jodie

 

[rae519]

Jodielyn - by any chance, did you go to nursing school? That's what we were always taught to do - GET that papertowel first and use it to turn off faucet and open the door!!
And we NEVER drink from public water fountains.
Sounds paranoid to some, I know! But just think of Holland America's Amsterdam - not exactly a fun ship to have been on for the past 4 cruises according to the media!

Happy sailing and hand washing!
Rae

 

[Michelle]

Wow, no fun for those who got sick.

I'm sure that DCL will do everything possible to limit the spread of the virus. Hope you stay well Ken, and enjoy the rest of your cruise!

 

[HookdonWDW]

Originally posted by JODIELYN
I always get laughed at and stared at when people observe my "public bathroom habits". But it is just for reasons like this that i continue them.

You won't see me laughing Jodie. After spending a week in the hospital with viral meningitis a few years ago, not only am I conscious about my own habits, but those of people around me.

 

[LarryC]

Yet people will still complain that "Little Johnny or Susie can't go in the Mickey pool in a diaper?"

 

[my3kids]

I won't laugh at you for getting your paper towel first if you won't laugh at me for carrying Purell EVERYWHERE I go.

 

[JODIELYN]

Thanks all for the support of my habits *grin* No... i'm not a nurse... just very concious of where germs are... My husband & I own a cleaning company and i have seen the germs that glow under black light in a public bathroom... grossss!!!

I'll be looking for you all in the bathrooms... LOL I'll know you by your handwashing techniques! LOL

Jodie

 

[mcnuss]

Well, since I am supposed to get on the Magic on Saturday, I sure hope that this is not an on-going problem.

I will be reminding DD to wash her hands extra frequently, especially when she spends time in the kids areas. Most likely, they are the germiest areas on the ship and I hope DCL will sanitize them before we get on board.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Just trying to reassure myself, and everyone else reading this thread...

Wasn't there a post not to long ago about how the DCL ships earned some the very highest ratings ever on their inspections!!

Suppose this kind of thing can crop up anywhere, even DCL.

 

[KenP]

As of 4:30pm Eastern time 11/21/02 no more official word. I talked with several fellow internet cafe cruisers who said their whole family was sick. The galley tour was cxld today. Bingo still went on though

I think it has already been posted elsewhere but I will say again, this is "gastroenteritis" which is commonly called the "stomach flu" although it has no relation to influenza/flu. The big difference is influenza is spread airborne. Gastroenteritis is spread by touching then putting fingers in mouth.

I'm washing my hands alot!!!

 

[my3kids]

Ken: I'd be spraying those internet cafe keyboards with Lysol.

 

[Debbie H]

Wishing on a star:

Inspections have nothing to do with the fact that people don't wash their hands!! I just got off that boat and I figured 1 in 3 washed their hands when they left a wash room. That I find repulsing! It's just not on a ship, that's everywhere. Look around next time how many people just "walk" out of bathrooms.

Best way to prevent transmission is isolate the pathogen and then break the chain of contagion which is washing your hands!

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by my3kids
I won't laugh at you for getting your paper towel first if you won't laugh at me for carrying Purell EVERYWHERE I go.

I guess I am <I>really</I> careful - I do the hand-washing ritual complete with using a paper towel to open the door, PLUS I carry Purell and use it frequently! On top of that, I don't touch the railing in the corridors, stairways, etc. I also look for any excuse NOT to shake hands, and if I do, I immediately use the Purell. I'm not trying to be rude or anti-social, but it IS that hand-contact that seems to spread a majority of illness onboard. Hand to body, hand to object, hand to hand, hand to mouth . . . No thank you! I'll be sociable without the hand contact.

 

[MollysNeeNee]

I hope things are improving on your cruise. Norwalk virus can spread rapidly among a group. I wonder if that is what has been the problem on the HA cruise ships. The most important thing you can do is to take extra care washing your hands with a lot of soap & running water for at least 20 sec (sing Yankee Doodle). Dry with paper towels...no cloth. Make sure you do this after rest rooms but also prior to eating or touching your mouth/face/eyes. Norwalk virus is often spread by foodhandlers....to be extra cautious during an outbreak in a ship, you could avoid any water other than bottled (even to brush your teeth), avoid salads, cut fruits any food that might be handled and not cooked after. If you want fruit...peel it yourself. Also, give up ice. We had a fairly large outbreak of Norwalk in a banquet facility ... a sick foodhandler had contaminated the ice machine with his hands. I know these seem like "desperate" measures...but if the outbreak continues while you are on ship....it may keep you from becoming ill.
We have booked an Alaskan cruise with HA thru DVC, and I'm quite anxious to have them clear this all up. Didn't realize it was happening on the Majic also (I had heard 2 of HA ships had had problems) How are you all doiing? Keep well....

 

[tbuot]

I just read on cruisecritic.com that Holland has cancelled their Nov. 21 sailing. I am really hoping they get the ship sanitized...we sail Sat.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Debbie H,

Soooo right!! (remember, I was in on one thread about washing hands and keep your hands away from your face!)

That is why I mention that if a line with such exceptional sanitation measures and ratings as DCL can experience this.... Whew!!!

 

[walter]

Do you think this will be cleared up before 12/7? We will be at OKW 1 week before the cruise, so we will not be able to change our ressie to include a second week.

 

[Laura24]

So sorry for those that have been affected by this illness. Bad news and *germs* spread like wildfire. Let's hope the situation is cleared up in a speedy manner. Will Disney offer some sort of future cruising incentive for those afficted on board? I also had another thought going back to the washing of hands precautions-if you are *getting* your paper towels "before" washing and "after" going, haven't you already infected the towel with your germies? Just a thought.

 

[Michelle]

I am SURE that DCL will do everything possible to sanitize the ship to stop the spread of the virus.

I am not worried at all about them NOT sailing (although they will be delaying Saturday's sailing as part of the ship disinfection) and I'm sure it will be fine by 12/7, Walter.