THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Cruise ship quarantine boosted risk of infection

Cruise ship quarantine boosted risk of infection

The revelation that a number of people on a cruise ship had tested positive for a new type of coronavirus - Japan's first mass infection with the virus - has exposed an unexpected danger of this kind of travel, in which many passengers are in a confined space onboard. 

Passengers who had been on vacation at sea now find themselves confined to the Diamond Princess ship for two weeks and forced to restrict their daily activities in a bid to prevent the virus from spreading.

According to the Diamond Princess' operator, the 18-story cruise ship is 290 meters long and 37.5 meters wide. The current tour was a 15-night, 16-day round trip that originated at Yokohama Port and made stops at places including Hong Kong and Vietnam. The price varied depending on the cabin category, and ranged from 250,000 yen (about $2,275) per person to about 1.38 million yen.

The fare includes buffet meals on the ship, with additional charges for the onboard sushi restaurant and bars. The ship also has a large Japanese-style bath, saunas and pools. Dance shows and other performances were held each night in the about 700-seat theater. Passengers reportedly had many chances to interact through events such as karaoke and dance classes, and they could freely use these facilities until Wednesday morning.

A 61-year-old woman from Takamatsu who was on the cruise with a friend said she enjoyed chatting with passengers she met for the first time during meals. In an interview conducted with The Yomiuri Shimbun through social media, the woman said she went jogging and lifted weights at the onboard gym, and participated almost daily in activities such as tai chi and ballroom dancing. 

A woman in her 20s told the Yomiuri via social media: "Wherever I walked on the ship, there were always people around. People could have become infected anywhere."

Kazunori Oishi, head of the Toyama Institute of Health and an expert on infectious disease countermeasures, said the passengers were "effectively in an enclosed area" while on the vessel. "It's possible the virus could have spread through airborne droplets while passengers were chatting to people nearby or having meals together," Oishi said. 

Many elderly passengers

Cruises are popular among elderly people, which may have been a factor in the growing number of people who became infected on the ship. 

"There are so many activities to do, and there are doctors stationed onboard," a man in his 70s from Kanagawa Prefecture who is with his wife on the Diamond Princess told The Yomiuri Shimbun by telephone. "We could just relax, and it was great that the ship arrived at tourist destinations while we were asleep. I never imagined this kind of thing could happen."

According to several passengers, many elderly people were on the cruise. 

"Elderly people have weaker immunity than young people," said Mutsuo Enomoto, head of the Enomoto Internal Medicine Clinic in Fuchu, western Tokyo, and an expert in medical treatment for elderly people. "Furthermore, if they have a chronic health problem such as diabetes and their liver function declines, the risk of being infected grows." 

Daily goods needed

Securing everyday necessities for the about 3,700 passengers and crew who will remain on the ship for two weeks, in principle, and preventing the virus from spreading further have become pressing tasks.

According to the ship's operator, water used for passengers' toilets and baths is produced from seawater treated by special equipment. On Wednesday, the Diamond Princess headed offshore from Yokohama so this equipment could operate.

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