niman Posted February 10, 2020 Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 (edited) The new cases included one Briton, 45 Japanese nationals, 11 Americans, four Australians, three people from the Philippines, one Canadian and one Ukrainian. https://www.lbcnews.co.uk/world-news/coronavirus-diamond-princess-brit-positive/ Edited February 10, 2020 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 A second British national has tested positive for coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship which is currently under quarantine in Japan. On Monday Japan's health minister announced 66 more people on the ship tested positive for the virus. The announcement takes the total number of confirmed cases on the ship to 136, which has increased from the previous number of 70 among the 3,711 passengers and crew. The new cases included one Briton, 45 Japanese nationals, 11 Americans, four Australians, three people from the Philippines, one Canadian and one Ukrainian. The ship is quarantined in the port of Yokohama, near Tokyo, where the first Brit who tested positive has said he could soon be set for release. The news comes as the British government declares the outbreak a "serious and imminent threat to public health" as the death toll rises in China. On Monday the Department of Health announced new measures to deal with coronavirus patients as those with the virus can now be forcibly quarantined and will not be free to leave, and can be forcibly sent into isolation if they pose a threat to public health. The coronavirus death toll has risen to 908 as China's health ministry announced a further 97 deaths, and said another 3,062 cases had been reported over the previous 24 hours. The total number of cases in mainland China has hit at 40,17 which was a 15% increase from Saturday. Alan Steele, from Wolverhampton, who caught the virus while he was on a honeymoon cruise with his wife, Wendy, is currently in a hospital in Japan. Mr Steele wrote on Facebook: "Doctor has given me the set plan of action for my discharge and as long as I pass the tests I will be free on Friday. "Would have been Thursday but Japan on holiday tomorrow so no one to do the test results lol. "Heard bad news on more cases on ship but possible good news is all will now be tested so if your free of virus they should let you go." Passengers on the ship have been restricted to their cabins at times. Picture: PA If he is declared free of the virus he will not be allowed to rejoin his wife on board the ship as it will remain under quarantine until at least February 19, when the 14-day quarantine period ends. Health minister Katsunobu Kato said the Japanese government was considering testing all passengers and crew on the ship, which would require them to remain on board until results are available. "We are doing the utmost to keep everyone in good health," he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 Coronavirus infects 66 more people on Diamond Princess cruise ship, bringing total to 136 Updated 33 minutes ago Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. VIDEO: Passengers on the ship remain under quarantine for at least another week. (ABC News) RELATED STORY: 'Frogmarched off to a room': Australian with coronavirus reveals moment she found out she was infected RELATED STORY: 'People are getting upset': Australians stuck on coronavirus cruise ship battle cramped conditions RELATED STORY: Australians among coronavirus patients being held on cruise ship in Japan Japan's Health Ministry says four Australians are among the 66 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, taking the total number of cases from the vessel to 136. Key points: Authorities say they may test everyone onboard before allowing them to disembark There are 3,711 people on board, including 223 Australians The ship was placed under quarantine on February 3 after a man tested positive Health officials previously said 70 of the 3,711 passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess were infected. All passengers — including 223 Australians — are being quarantined on the vessel, docked at the port of Yokohama, south of Tokyo. Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato previously said the Government was considering testing everyone on board before allowing them to disembark. Passengers have been voicing their concern about their wait on the ship, including by flying banners calling for help from the ship's balconies. PHOTO: These passengers' banners read "Lack of medicine!" and "Thank you media". (AP: Eugene Hoshiko) Some Australians on board have told the ABC that conditions are "concerning", while others have said operators are "trying their best" in a tricky situation. However, Mr Kato said his Government was "doing the utmost to keep everyone in good health". What you need to know Here's a rundown of all the facts about coronavirus, and how you can make sure you're protected. The Diamond Princess was placed under quarantine after arriving at Yokohama on February 3, in the wake of a man who disembarked in Hong Kong being diagnosed with the virus. Passengers have been allowed on decks in shifts in order to get fresh air and have been encouraged to regularly take their temperature. The health ministry is separating its count of those on the ship who have been infected from those within Japan who have been infected. The disease has killed more than 900 people, predominantly in mainland China, and infected more than 40,000. PHOTO: Passengers have been allowed outside in shifts. (AP via Kyodo News: Sadayuki Goto) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-10/coronavirus-diamond-princess-new-cases-japan-cruise-ship/11951058 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 New Coronavirus Infections Confirmed on a Cruise Ship Quarantined at Yokohama Port (Part 6) The cruise ship Diamond Princess, which arrived at Yokohama Port on February 3, is undergoing quarantine at sea, but 65 out of 103 newly tested coronaviruses were newly tested. Coronavirus positivity was confirmed. In the future, it will be transported to medical institutions with infectious disease wards. Positive results were confirmed in 135 of the 439 patients tested. Those who are transported include elderly people and foreign nationals, and it is necessary to take measures that take into account physical conditions. The press is requested to give special consideration to coverage of this matter. Quarantine of the cruise ship continues to be implemented. A new coronavirus test is conducted for those who need it, and the results will be announced later. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_09419.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Flynn Posted February 10, 2020 Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 Dr. Niman, the way the situation aboard the Diamond Princess is being handled seems absurd. “…the government was considering testing everyone on board before allowing them to disembark.” Had this been done at the onset it seems that mapping could have been done (and still possibly could) quantifying each individuals’ risk based upon location to a known infected individual. Then, by choosing passengers at the lowest risk of infection (meaning those far from a known infected individual, as well as considering location (stairways, elevators, etc.) groups of (?) could be moved off-ship, decontaminated, given new, temporary clothing, and taken to a place of temporary isolation, to await the requisite number of days whereby a newly infected individual would, with almost 100% specificity/sensitivity (which might require two tests, I’m guessing four days) could be proven negative. Then, if all those in that group prove negative, that entire group would be allowed to leave, allowing a newly selected group to inhabit that isolation site. Self-criticizing the above is the fact that cruise ships usually have three banks of elevators/stairs. Looking at the floor plan of Hotel Metropole (SARS 2003 super-spreader incident) (see link at bottom) I would say that elevators/stairs were a critical link. Therefore, on the Diamond Princess, this would likely be the case too. Additionally, even if personnel bring food to rooms in full protective gear, they become moving fomites dragging virus around the ship, particularly to elevators. It seems that the entire ship should now be considered a fomite. Am I insane thinking that, as each day passes, newly identified infections will be proven, thereby resetting any (~14-day) quarantine, over and over? Considering this as a possibility, it seems that this will drag out for months. Dr. Niman, would you care to comment, from a virologist’s point of view, am I correct in thinking the quarantine aboard the ship will not end very soon at all? See Diamond Princess Deck 8 deck plan: https://www.cruisecritic.com/diamond-princess-deck-plans/dp/?shipID=296&deck=8 See Ninth floor plan of Hotel Metropole showing incident infection room, and other rooms where occupants became positive during the 20003 SARS epidemic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome#/media/File:Hotel_Metropole_9th_floor_layout_SARS_2003.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psk Posted February 10, 2020 Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 You're right, it is absurd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 2 hours ago, Stephen Flynn said: Dr. Niman, the way the situation aboard the Diamond Princess is being handled seems absurd. “…the government was considering testing everyone on board before allowing them to disembark.” Had this been done at the onset it seems that mapping could have been done (and still possibly could) quantifying each individuals’ risk based upon location to a known infected individual. Then, by choosing passengers at the lowest risk of infection (meaning those far from a known infected individual, as well as considering location (stairways, elevators, etc.) groups of (?) could be moved off-ship, decontaminated, given new, temporary clothing, and taken to a place of temporary isolation, to await the requisite number of days whereby a newly infected individual would, with almost 100% specificity/sensitivity (which might require two tests, I’m guessing four days) could be proven negative. Then, if all those in that group prove negative, that entire group would be allowed to leave, allowing a newly selected group to inhabit that isolation site. Self-criticizing the above is the fact that cruise ships usually have three banks of elevators/stairs. Looking at the floor plan of Hotel Metropole (SARS 2003 super-spreader incident) (see link at bottom) I would say that elevators/stairs were a critical link. Therefore, on the Diamond Princess, this would likely be the case too. Additionally, even if personnel bring food to rooms in full protective gear, they become moving fomites dragging virus around the ship, particularly to elevators. It seems that the entire ship should now be considered a fomite. Am I insane thinking that, as each day passes, newly identified infections will be proven, thereby resetting any (~14-day) quarantine, over and over? Considering this as a possibility, it seems that this will drag out for months. Dr. Niman, would you care to comment, from a virologist’s point of view, am I correct in thinking the quarantine aboard the ship will not end very soon at all? See Diamond Princess Deck 8 deck plan: https://www.cruisecritic.com/diamond-princess-deck-plans/dp/?shipID=296&deck=8 See Ninth floor plan of Hotel Metropole showing incident infection room, and other rooms where occupants became positive during the 20003 SARS epidemic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome#/media/File:Hotel_Metropole_9th_floor_layout_SARS_2003.jpg You are correct. The nationality profile of the new cases is very similar to the original list (top 3 were Japan, USA, Australia) which also matches the ranking of the passengers. It seems more like something on the ship (air circulation, elevators, bar),and new cases will continue to surface. The plan is to reset the clock on contacts of positives, but not everyone. However, I don't think anyone will be released without a test confirming they are negative. Speaking of the Metropole Hotel, it is sounding like a new Amoy Gardens scenario may be developing in Hong Kong at Hong Mei House at Cheung Hong Estate. Apartments that share a drainage system have been evacuated. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3049921/tsing-yi-residents-evacuated-hong-kong-health Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psk Posted February 10, 2020 Report Share Posted February 10, 2020 A Chinese scientist was speaking about the possibility of the virus being airborne this morning on CGTN news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Flynn Posted February 11, 2020 Report Share Posted February 11, 2020 9 hours ago, niman said: You are correct. The nationality profile of the new cases is very similar to the original list (top 3 were Japan, USA, Australia) which also matches the ranking of the passengers. It seems more like something on the ship (air circulation, elevators, bar),and new cases will continue to surface. The plan is to reset the clock on contacts of positives, but not everyone. However, I don't think anyone will be released without a test confirming they are negative. Speaking of the Metropole Hotel, it is sounding like a new Amoy Gardens scenario may be developing in Hong Kong at Hong Mei House at Cheung Hong Estate. Apartments that share a drainage system have been evacuated. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3049921/tsing-yi-residents-evacuated-hong-kong-health Ouch. Talk about a super-spread event. Over 300 infected at one place (Amoy Gardens, SAR, 2003) Amoy Gardens is a private housing estate in the Jordan Valley area of Kowloon, Hong Kong completed from 1981 to 1987. It was the most seriously affected location during the 2003 SARS outbreak, with over 300 people infected there.Wikipedia Interestingly, I had an experience that comes to mind reading about this in an apartment house I owned. I had put two state-of-the-art Toto toilets in two units where the waste pipe was back-to-back. Toto uses very little water but is extremely efficient and reliable. Toto did this by increasing the opening of the tank entering the bowl. This "drops" the water fast at perhaps double the speed of a regular toilet, using less water and I've never had one clog--ever. But in this case, the "slug" of fast moving water in one apartment, moving down the waste pipe so quickly, overwhelmed the vent pipe creating a pulse of suction. (Caused by the back-to-back configuration) This caused the opposite toilet to "suck" back water, leaving a small opening where sewer gas could enter. I never thought of a viral risk but wanted no part of such a set-up and so replaced the new Toto toilets with an older version that dumped water slower, problem fixed though with more water usage. Birds nesting in vent pipes, bird carcass(es) that fell into vent pipes, or points where the vent pipe leaks all could contribute to a possible negative pressure situation where small amounts of waste gas (actually called sewer gas) might enter living areas. Such gas can carry minute viral infected droplets and even dried minute particulate materials that can carry virus. Several causes contributed to the Amoy Gardens cluster including dried up u traps, negative pressure caused by bathroom fans and a large crack in a waste-vent pipe. A great case study on Amoy Gardens cluster (SARS 2003) is at http://www.openscar.com/amoygardens.html PSK, Amoy Gardens is a case where, at least initially, virus was spread airborne, infecting a cluster, who then purportedly infected others. Virus can be spread by minute droplets and then from hand to doorknob or elevator button, to another. Yes the novel coronavirus can spread by cough/sneeze, laughter, (all airborne) as well as airborne from an improper sewer vent pipe leaving into a bathroom. I read someplace that feces tested positive with a high viral load from one victim. An excerpt from the above reference: Possible explanations for the outbreak Recent laboratory studies have shown that many SARS patients excrete coronavirus in their stools, where it could survive for longer periods than on ordinary surfaces. As many as 2/3 of the patients in this Amoy Garden SARS outbreak were also having diarrhea, contributing to a significant virus load being discharged in the sewerage in block E. It is probable that the index patient initially infected a relatively small group of residents within block E and subsequently to the rest of the residents in that block through the sewage system, person-to-person contact and the use of shared communal facilities such as lifts and staircases. These residents subsequently transmitted the disease to others both within and outside block E through person-to-person contact and environmental contamination. The bathroom floor drains with dried-up U-traps provided a pathway through which residents came into contact with small droplets containing viruses from the contaminated sewage. These droplets entered the bathroom floor drain through negative pressure generated by exhaust fans when the bathroom was being used with the door closed. Water vapour generated during a shower and the moist conditions of the bathroom could also have facilitated the formation of water droplets. The chance of exposure was increased given that the bathrooms in apartment units of Amoy Gardens were generally small in size (about 3.5 square metres). Contaminated droplets could then have deposited virus on various surfaces, such as floor mats, towels, toiletries and other bathroom equipment. Transmission of the disease by airborne, waterborne route and infected dust aerosols has been examined but these were not supported by the epidemiological picture and laboratory results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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