Tag Archives: Travel health

Cruise ship turned away in other ports docks in Cambodia

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A cruise ship that had been stranded at sea for about two weeks after being refused entry by four Asian governments because of virus fears has finally docked in Cambodia

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia —
A cruise ship that had been stranded at sea for about two weeks after being refused entry by four Asian governments because of virus fears finally docked Thursday in Cambodia.

Cambodia agreed to let the MS Westerdam dock at the port of Sihanoukville after Thailand barred it on Wednesday, following similar bans by Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. They kept the ship away over concerns that it would expose them to the new virus from China.

The Westerdam was unwelcome elsewhere even though operator Holland America Line said no cases of the COVID-19 viral illness have been confirmed among its 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members.

The ship initially anchored offshore, where a team of health officials began checks. It then moved at sunset to a berth at the port in the Gulf of Thailand.

“Landed!” passenger Lydia Miller, who runs a small farm and inn in Washington State, exclaimed on Twitter. “Thank you Cambodia! You believed in us when no one else would. We promise to spend lots of money in your country. #westerdam”

Once health checks and immigration procedures are completed, the passengers are to disembark and be taken to Sihanoukville airport, from where they will fly to the capital, Phnom Penh, to catch flights home.

Some 20 passengers have reported stomachaches or fever, Cambodian health officials said. The ship’s health staff considered them to be normal illnesses, but the ill passengers were being isolated from others, Health Ministry spokeswoman Or Vandine said.

A military helicopter was used to carry samples from those passengers to the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh for analysis.

She said if tests show that any passengers have the disease, they’ll be allowed to receive treatment in the country.

A team from the U.S. Embassy with consular, logistics and health personnel was on site to assist U.S. citizens.

“From the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, we will stick with you as long as it takes,” U.S. Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy said a a video posted online.

Personnel from several European embassies were also at the scene.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on his Facebook page that he would come to Sihanoukville on Friday to meet the passengers.

Earlier, in his first public comments about the ship, he said Cambodia had let the Westerdam dock for humanitarian reasons.

A strong supporter of China, he has played down any threat from the new virus and even threatened to kick out reporters or officials seen wearing protective face masks.

“Like I said, the real disease is fear, not the virus. We want to eliminate the fear of disease,” he said in an interview with Fresh News, an online news service close to his government.

Unlike other Asian nations, he has declined to ban direct flights between Cambodia and China, saying that would disturb bilateral relations and hurt his country’s economy. Cambodia has one confirmed case of the virus, a visitor from China, despite its popularity with Chinese tourists.

“If no one allows entry, Cambodia does. The kingdom does not just cooperate with China, but with all nations,” Hun Sen said in the interview. “Coronavirus is a global challenge, and … our humanitarian affairs have no borders.”

Acting as a good Samaritan is an unusual role for Hun Sen, who is often accused of being an authoritarian leader who abuses human rights and democratic norms.

The ship’s request to remain in Cambodia has been approved through next Monday.

The Westerdam began its cruise in Singapore last month and its last stop before it was refused further landings was in Hong Kong, where 51 cases of the disease and one death have been confirmed.

The virus has sickened tens of thousands of people in China since December, and 218 cases have been confirmed on another cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, which made stops in Hong Kong and other ports before arriving in Japan last week.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier he was pleased Cambodia had agreed to accept the Westerdam and described it as an example of the international solidarity advocated by the U.N. health agency.

———

Peck reported from Bangkok.

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Q&A: How virus is impacting Asia’s cruises and passengers

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A new viral outbreak is wreaking havoc on cruises in Asia, where some passengers are stranded aboard ships and others can’t leave China.

Japan’s health ministry has confirmed 174 cases of the COVID-19 virus aboard Carnival Corp.’s Diamond Princess, which is docked in Yokohama, Japan. The ship that carried 3,700 passengers and crew into Japan is expected to remain under quarantine until at least Feb. 19.

Meanwhile, Holland America’s Westerdam — which says it has no confirmed cases of the virus — is floating in the Gulf of Thailand with nowhere to dock. The ship’s 2,257 passengers and crew had expected to disembark in Thailand on Thursday, but Thai authorities say the ship isn’t welcome. Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines have also refused to let the ship dock because it made a stop in Hong Kong less than two weeks ago.

Here are some questions and answers about the virus’s impact on the cruise industry and passengers:

HOW MANY CRUISE SHIPS ARE IN ASIA RIGHT NOW?

The Cruise Lines International Association — which represents around 90% of global cruise capacity — says around 10 of its 272 member ships are currently in Asia. Only the Diamond Princess has confirmed cases of virus, the association said. Six of the 10 ships have cancelled their itineraries for now, including Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas and MSC’s Splendida.

HAVE ANY SHIPS BEEN ALLOWED TO LET PASSENGERS OFF?

Yes. On Sunday, Dream Cruises said passengers on its World Dream were cleared to disembark in Hong Kong after screenings found no positive tests for the virus. The ship had arrived in Hong Kong four days earlier. In Italy, more than 6,600 passengers and crew were allowed to disembark from Carnival’s Costa Smeralda on Jan. 31 after a Chinese passenger was found to have the flu and not the virus.

ARE CRUISE SHIPS BANNING SOME PASSENGERS FROM BOARDING?

Yes. Policies vary, but in general, cruise companies won’t allow passengers or crew to board if they have visited, traveled from or passed through airports in China, Hong Kong and Macau within a certain time period — usually 14 days or 30 days. They also aren’t allowing people to board if they have been in close contact with someone with the virus. Royal Caribbean was banning all passengers with passports from China, Hong Kong and Macau, but the company lifted that ban Monday. Norwegian Cruise Lines is still banning passengers who hold those passports.

IS A QUARANTINE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE A VIRAL OUTBREAK ON A CRUISE?

According to Tara Smith, a professor who researches infectious diseases at Kent State University’s College of Public Health, a hospital — not a ship — is the best place to keep people quarantined. The Diamond Princess may have already had environmental contamination when the quarantine began, which puts passengers and crew at risk of further transmission. “I think this was done without a lot of thought to consequences of ongoing transmission within the ship and the mental health of the passengers,” Smith said.

WHAT OTHER PRECAUTIONS ARE CRUISE LINES TAKING?

Cruise lines are scanning the temperatures of passengers and crew and having them complete questionnaires before they board any ship. MSC says it’s conducting elevated deep-cleaning on its ships; Royal Caribbean also says it has stepped up cleaning of its ships and air filtration systems.

CAN PASSENGERS CATCH THE VIRUS THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS?

Japanese health ministry official Masami Sakoi said the cabins on the Diamond Princess have separate air-conditioning systems, so guests aren’t sharing the same air. “We do not consider the air-conditioning system as the cause of spreading infections,” he said.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE FOR PASSENGERS ABOARD THESE SHIPS?

Christina Kerby, a communications director with a health care company in San Francisco, struck an upbeat tone in her Twitter posts aboard the Westerdam. She says the ship is holding spin classes, magic shows and towel-folding demonstrations. But she expressed regret when Philippine crew members couldn’t disembark in Manila to see their families, as they’d hoped. The situation is more grim aboard the Diamond Princess, where those under quarantine watched as officials in hazmat suits carried off sick passengers. Passenger David Abel has described the ship as a “floating prison.”

WHEN WILL CRUISE OPERATIONS RETURN TO NORMAL?

That’s unclear. Royal Caribbean has cancelled eight China sailings through March 4. Princess Cruises has cancelled 12 cruises through March 20. Holland America said it’s weighing port restrictions in Asia before deciding on a cruise scheduled to leave Yokohama on Feb. 28. Norwegian Cruise Lines has canceled scheduled Asian cruises on the Norwegian Spirit through Dec. 7. In some cases, cruises are being rerouted. Norwegian said a 24-day cruise leaving South Africa on March 22 that was supposed to end in Singapore will now last 27 days and end in Greece, for example.

HOW MUCH WILL THIS IMPACT CRUISE COMPANIES?

Asia is not yet a major destination for cruises. This year, around 10% of cruise ships worldwide were scheduled to be deployed to Asia, according to Cruise Lines International Association. That’s down slightly from 2017, and compares to 32% deployed to the Caribbean and 28% to Europe and the Mediterranean.

The virus may not have much impact on cruise bookings outside of Asia, says UBS analyst Robin Farley. Past experience shows that concerns about viruses usually remain regional, she said.

Cruise companies could be hurt by lower passenger volumes coming out of Asia, however. The association said its members expected 4.2 million passengers from Asia this year, or 12.5% of all passengers. That would be up from 3.4 million in 2016.

But even if 2020 passenger volumes from Asia are lower than expected, they can recover quickly. In 2015, a viral outbreak in Korea hurt demand for cruises from China. But by 2016, Korea was once again a top destination for Chinese travelers, Farley said.

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Q&A: How virus is impacting Asia’s cruises and passengers

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A new viral outbreak is wreaking havoc on cruises in Asia, where some passengers are stranded aboard ships and others can’t leave China.

Japan’s health ministry has confirmed 174 cases of the COVID-19 virus aboard Carnival Corp.’s Diamond Princess, which is docked in Yokohama, Japan. The ship that carried 3,700 passengers and crew into Japan is expected to remain under quarantine until at least Feb. 19.

Meanwhile, Holland America’s Westerdam — which says it has no confirmed cases of the virus — is floating in the Gulf of Thailand with nowhere to dock. The ship’s 2,257 passengers and crew had expected to disembark in Thailand on Thursday, but Thai authorities say the ship isn’t welcome. Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines have also refused to let the ship dock because it made a stop in Hong Kong less than two weeks ago.

Here are some questions and answers about the virus’s impact on the cruise industry and passengers:

HOW MANY CRUISE SHIPS ARE IN ASIA RIGHT NOW?

The Cruise Lines International Association — which represents around 90% of global cruise capacity — says around 10 of its 272 member ships are currently in Asia. Only the Diamond Princess has confirmed cases of virus, the association said. Six of the 10 ships have cancelled their itineraries for now, including Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas and MSC’s Splendida.

HAVE ANY SHIPS BEEN ALLOWED TO LET PASSENGERS OFF?

Yes. On Sunday, Dream Cruises said passengers on its World Dream were cleared to disembark in Hong Kong after screenings found no positive tests for the virus. The ship had arrived in Hong Kong four days earlier. In Italy, more than 6,600 passengers and crew were allowed to disembark from Carnival’s Costa Smeralda on Jan. 31 after a Chinese passenger was found to have the flu and not the virus.

ARE CRUISE SHIPS BANNING SOME PASSENGERS FROM BOARDING?

Yes. Policies vary, but in general, cruise companies won’t allow passengers or crew to board if they have visited, traveled from or passed through airports in China, Hong Kong and Macau within a certain time period — usually 14 days or 30 days. They also aren’t allowing people to board if they have been in close contact with someone with the virus. Royal Caribbean was banning all passengers with passports from China, Hong Kong and Macau, but the company lifted that ban Monday. Norwegian Cruise Lines is still banning passengers who hold those passports.

IS A QUARANTINE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE A VIRAL OUTBREAK ON A CRUISE?

According to Tara Smith, a professor who researches infectious diseases at Kent State University’s College of Public Health, a hospital — not a ship — is the best place to keep people quarantined. The Diamond Princess may have already had environmental contamination when the quarantine began, which puts passengers and crew at risk of further transmission. “I think this was done without a lot of thought to consequences of ongoing transmission within the ship and the mental health of the passengers,” Smith said.

WHAT OTHER PRECAUTIONS ARE CRUISE LINES TAKING?

Cruise lines are scanning the temperatures of passengers and crew and having them complete questionnaires before they board any ship. MSC says it’s conducting elevated deep-cleaning on its ships; Royal Caribbean also says it has stepped up cleaning of its ships and air filtration systems.

CAN PASSENGERS CATCH THE VIRUS THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS?

Japanese health ministry official Masami Sakoi said the cabins on the Diamond Princess have separate air-conditioning systems, so guests aren’t sharing the same air. “We do not consider the air-conditioning system as the cause of spreading infections,” he said.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE FOR PASSENGERS ABOARD THESE SHIPS?

Christina Kerby, a communications director with a health care company in San Francisco, struck an upbeat tone in her Twitter posts aboard the Westerdam. She says the ship is holding spin classes, magic shows and towel-folding demonstrations. But she expressed regret when Philippine crew members couldn’t disembark in Manila to see their families, as they’d hoped. The situation is more grim aboard the Diamond Princess, where those under quarantine watched as officials in hazmat suits carried off sick passengers. Passenger David Abel has described the ship as a “floating prison.”

WHEN WILL CRUISE OPERATIONS RETURN TO NORMAL?

That’s unclear. Royal Caribbean has cancelled eight China sailings through March 4. Princess Cruises has cancelled 12 cruises through March 20. Holland America said it’s weighing port restrictions in Asia before deciding on a cruise scheduled to leave Yokohama on Feb. 28. Norwegian Cruise Lines has canceled scheduled Asian cruises on the Norwegian Spirit through Dec. 7. In some cases, cruises are being rerouted. Norwegian said a 24-day cruise leaving South Africa on March 22 that was supposed to end in Singapore will now last 27 days and end in Greece, for example.

HOW MUCH WILL THIS IMPACT CRUISE COMPANIES?

Asia is not yet a major destination for cruises. This year, around 10% of cruise ships worldwide were scheduled to be deployed to Asia, according to Cruise Lines International Association. That’s down slightly from 2017, and compares to 32% deployed to the Caribbean and 28% to Europe and the Mediterranean.

The virus may not have much impact on cruise bookings outside of Asia, says UBS analyst Robin Farley. Past experience shows that concerns about viruses usually remain regional, she said.

Cruise companies could be hurt by lower passenger volumes coming out of Asia, however. The association said its members expected 4.2 million passengers from Asia this year, or 12.5% of all passengers. That would be up from 3.4 million in 2016.

But even if 2020 passenger volumes from Asia are lower than expected, they can recover quickly. In 2015, a viral outbreak in Korea hurt demand for cruises from China. But by 2016, Korea was once again a top destination for Chinese travelers, Farley said.

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Some Americans to leave China, many stay after US advisory

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BEIJING —
Some Americans plan to leave China after the U.S. government advised about a spreading virus outbreak, but many others are staying.

The State Department issued a travel advisory Friday saying Americans in China “should consider departing.” That followed the evacuation earlier this week of about 200 Americans from Wuhan, the locked-down city at the center of the outbreak. A second flight is planned next week.

In addition to tourists, tens of thousands of Americans live and work in China in business and teaching. Some have been in the country for decades.

JAMES DICKEY

Dickey, a kindergarten teacher, said he is “really scared” and trying to arrange for his 8-year-old daughter and ex-wife to leave Wuhan for the United States.

He lives in Changsha, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Wuhan.

“In 10 years living here in China, I’ve never seen anything like this, not even close,” he said. “The fact that our governments are taking such drastic and dire measures right now really tells me that the situation is probably worse than what we’ve been led to believe, or what the numbers would indicate.”

He spoke from a train as he returned from Beijing, where he had come to get his daughter an emergency passport so she and his ex-wife can get on an upcoming U.S. government-chartered evacuation flight from Wuhan.

He planned to stay in China with his Chinese girlfriend. “If I leave, she’s going to be all alone in a city that’s not her hometown, so if I left her right now that would be a really terrible thing to do,” he said. “I couldn’t do that to her.”

MANDY IACAMPO

Iacampo. who has lived in China for two years, said she has no plans to leave and is more worried about the flu.

“I’m honestly more concerned with traveling than with being here,” the 25-year-old kindergarten teacher said. “Looking at the numbers, especially compared to things like the flu that put me in danger, I’m not especially concerned.”

The Arkansas native said her school in Beijing has postponed reopening after the Lunar New Year holiday by a week to Feb. 10 and friends are less willing to go out.

“I’m wearing masks out and about,” she said. “But generally speaking my daily life hasn’t had to change.”

MIKE WESTER

Wester, a businessman who has lived in China for 19 years, is staying in Beijing and “self-quarantining myself,” which feels safer than facing airports crowded with strangers.

“I can control my own behavior,” he said. “I can’t vouch for everyone who is standing in all those lines that they are not being irresponsible.”

Wester is chief executive of True Run Media, an advertising company that produces magazines, websites and events in Beijing and Shanghai.

He and his wife are staying home with their 12-year-old daughter. Her school is closed but she is keeping busy writing blog entries for his company, including a series on meals that can be made with three basic ingredients.

Wester, who lived in China during the 2002-03 SARS outbreak, has organized a group for Americans on China’s popular WeChat messaging service to try to dispel false information and calm fears.

“I’ve been reading about this and trying to calm people down,” he said. “It feels like a full-time job.”

LISSA LAYMAN

Layman said she and her husband have no plans to leave.

The couple are showing her sister, who is visiting from the United States, around Beijing. They bicycled in the city and went to Tiananmen Square and brew pubs.

“We haven’t been quarantining ourselves, but we are taking precautions like washing our hands and wearing masks,” said Layman, who has been a teacher in Beijing since mid-2018.

JACK RAYMOND

Raymond, from Portland, Oregon, is wavering.

“I’m trying to not spread or get into a state of panic,” said Raymond, 28. “But I don’t know if the severity is such that I should either leave or stay put and hunker down in my apartment.”

Raymond, who has lived in Beijing for four years and teaches drama at a school, is reluctant to give up friends and work connections. He said he has stayed indoors for a week, going out only to buy food.

“I have family back in the States and they’re all urging me to leave China now,” said Raymond. “I almost bought a plane ticket yesterday. So I really am teetering on the edge.”

KELLY FLANAGAN

Flanagan, a school counselor in China since 2011, is in the United States and has no plans to return soon.

Almost all the passengers were wearing masks when she flew out of Shanghai on Jan. 25 and, when one passenger sneezed, “everyone gave her death-stares,” she said.

Flanagan, 36, is working remotely with her students to prepare for English proficiency exams, though they have been canceled because of the outbreak.

“This is probably going to be a while,” she said.

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