Over 3,500 people quarantined on Diamond Princess cruise

[mmmears]

I think that's perfectly reasonable right now. The problem is, the situation can change very rapidly. I think the CDC is not really getting this message out very well. Things are fine currently, but in a month we could have several large outbreaks within the US. That doesn't mean they are wrong in what they say now. We might contain this virus, or it might grow exponentially.

I don't think there is an answer to that yet, but it seems the experts grow more worried by the day. That's just my observation in following this pretty closely since the third week in January. They're saying different things now, and their tone has changed. Just my impression, very unscientific.

There has been info online for a while now that the R0 is far worse than the flu (as is the fatality rate) and it seems like the same information is slowly being released by the government and the mainstream media. I agree that thing seem fine now, but this does seem like something that is likely to become more than just "something far away that isn't nearly as bad as the flu." China's drastic shutdowns and confinements show that they don't think they are dealing with something minor, too. I don't mean to be an alarmist here, but I have also noticed that the tone has been changing week by week.

ETA - I really feel sorry for all of those people stuck on the cruise ship. I was watching one of them online and after days and days of being calm and cheerful he seems to be having a really hard time.

 

[smmco]

I kind of feel like in 6 months this will have been a big nothing burger. I guess time will tell and maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I hope not.

 

[QueenElinor]

US to Evacuate Citizens From Diamond Princess

It's about time.
Now the other countries need to do the same.

 

[mmmears]

US to Evacuate Citizens From Diamond Princess

It's about time.
Now the other countries need to do the same.

Oh good! Thanks for sharing. I hope the British man I've been following (along with his lovely wife) gets evacuated as well.

 

[StarGirl11]

Oh good! Thanks for sharing. I hope the British man I've been following (along with his lovely wife) gets evacuated as well.

David I’m guessing? I’ve been following them too. He just posted earlier that they both got swabbed for the virus so I’m thinking they’re not going to be their much longer then a couple of more days until the results come back. Of course as long as the test results come back negative.

 

[Karin1984]

In the meantime the Westerdam of HAL arrived yesterday in Cambodia and the passengers disembarked. Several passengers said that it wasn't that bad, with free wine, free wifi and three course meals a day.

For the Diamond Princess 11 people acccepted the offer to go to a shoreside quarantine side, others rather stay on the ship. Apparently the ship's quarantine ends on the 17th of February.

 

[Starwind]

Feb 15 US government letter to US citizens on the Diamond Princess: https://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/alert-20200215-diamond-princess.pdf

 

[QueenElinor]

Feb 15 US government letter to US citizens on the Diamond Princess: https://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/alert-20200215-diamond-princess.pdf

Thanks for posting that. Here's an eye-opener:

Should you choose not to return on this charter flight, you will be unable to return to the United States for a period of time.

I know there were some who thought they'd just finish out the "quarantine" on the ship, then go home. But that's not apparently a real option, I guess because it wasn't a real quarantine. Looks like our government considers them all to be very high-risk and they can cooperate with the new quarantine, or they can stay in Japan.

 

[StarGirl11]

Thanks for posting that. Here's an eye-opener:

Should you choose not to return on this charter flight, you will be unable to return to the United States for a period of time.

I know there were some who thought they'd just finish out the "quarantine" on the ship, then go home. But that's not apparently a real option, I guess because it wasn't a real quarantine. Looks like our government considers them all to be very high-risk and they can cooperate with the new quarantine, or they can stay in Japan.

That really brings up the question of how long. Japanese visas are good for 90 days from when you pass through passport control normally and I’m guessing from when the US passengers would disembark from the ship. Would they be looking at staying there that long?

Either way I wouldn’t chance missing that charter flight if your a US citizen. I hate to sound pessimistic here but having spent time overseas I know from hearing stories from my mother that they won’t always intervene even when they should. I can’t remember where we were when she tried contacting the local embassy about a possible evacuation situation and were essentially told your on your own. (I don’t remember the conversation personally, too young at the time, but it’s one she’s mentioned a few time and it’s stuck with me). So moral here is: if your in a situation where you should evacuate and the government is stepping in to help get you out. Unless there is a reason that means you must absolutely remain there take the evac. Because who knows if you’ll get another chance and what the future might hold.

 

[Gentry2004]

Thanks for posting that. Here's an eye-opener:

Should you choose not to return on this charter flight, you will be unable to return to the United States for a period of time.

I know there were some who thought they'd just finish out the "quarantine" on the ship, then go home. But that's not apparently a real option, I guess because it wasn't a real quarantine. Looks like our government considers them all to be very high-risk and they can cooperate with the new quarantine, or they can stay in Japan.

Kind of a pickle for the American in the article saying he wants to remain on the ship. Doesn’t sound like it will work the way he thinks.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

67 more cases today... And I read that thy are thinking of extending the quarantine date.

 

[Gentry2004]

67 more cases today... And I read that thy are thinking of extending the quarantine date.

Today’s letter from the US told citizens on the ship they would all have to do another 14 day quarantine in the US after their charter flight home.

 

[sibesx2]

A Japanese man who visited Hawaii with his wife tested positive after returning to Japan.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/...r-recently-hawaii-confirmed-have-coronavirus/

• The adult male traveler did not have any symptoms while visiting Maui from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3.
• But he did begin to exhibit “cold-like symptoms” while on Oahu from Feb. 3 to Feb. 7.
• On Oahu, he stayed at the Grand Waikikian by Hilton Grand Vacations. The state is still seeking more details on his exact itinerary, including which flights he was on.
• He was diagnosed with the virus on Feb. 8, after returning to Japan. Japanese news reports say that he had a fever of about 102 degrees.

 

[monkeydawn]

For the Diamond Princess 11 people acccepted the offer to go to a shoreside quarantine side, others rather stay on the ship.

This is a little misleading. It seems like that was from the "first round" of offers...only extended to those over 80 years old.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

All of these cruisers are in a terrible situation. But if I was a US citizen and eligible, I would be on that plane.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

A Japanese man who visited Hawaii with his wife tested positive after returning to Japan.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/...r-recently-hawaii-confirmed-have-coronavirus/

• The adult male traveler did not have any symptoms while visiting Maui from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3.
• But he did begin to exhibit “cold-like symptoms” while on Oahu from Feb. 3 to Feb. 7.
• On Oahu, he stayed at the Grand Waikikian by Hilton Grand Vacations. The state is still seeking more details on his exact itinerary, including which flights he was on.
• He was diagnosed with the virus on Feb. 8, after returning to Japan. Japanese news reports say that he had a fever of about 102 degrees.

I don't understand, these cases who are infective while taking the plane, and we have a few in Europe atm. How come that a cruise ship which is waay waay bigger and with waay waay more people ends up being quarantined and ends up having hundreds of cases. Whereas with the airplanes they don't quarantine them and until now they haven't had many cases on it?

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Oh noo this is huge! A woman that was on the Westerdam cruise has tested positive!!! But now they have left all the passangers go!

 

[Adventurelawyer]

I don't understand, these cases who are infective while taking the plane, and we have a few in Europe atm. How come that a cruise ship which is waay waay bigger and with waay waay more people ends up being quarantined and ends up having hundreds of cases. Whereas with the airplanes they don't quarantine them and until now they haven't had many cases on it?

Because they cannot test everyone and the crew are infected and still interacting with people. That is why this is not a “real” quarantine. They have a double exposure problem. Ship’s index case plus 14 days has long since passed. These cases are NOT from the 80 year old who got off in Hong Kong. They cannot tell the time from exposure for any of these people anymore.

in terms of Hawaii:

I suspected that since Japan didn’t institute a travel restriction until far too late in the game, just like the EU, it would be the weak link in preventing spread. I would expect additional travel restrictions are coming to an airport and cruise line near you. TBH, this case is what CDC has worried about and why they told CONUS to expect it to spread despite current measures.

 

[Karin1984]

Oh noo this is huge! A woman that was on the Westerdam cruise has tested positive!!! But now they have left all the passangers go!

They did health checks when they arrived in Cambodia. And I am positive that everyone was warned to keep an eye on their health when they returned home, as they started in Hong Kong.

For this woman, The Westerdam left on 1FEB from Hong Kong, she had no symptoms for the 2 weeks at sea. Shows that it's not an exact science. Or she caught the virus in Malaysia (or Cambodia)

 

[Starwind]

67 new cases reported on Diamond Princess, bringing total to 285.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/coronavirus-1.5465349