Norwegian Cruise Ship Detects Probable Case of Omicron Variant
A probable case of the Omicron variant has been identified in a crew member of a Norwegian Cruise ship that reached New Orleans on Sunday after detecting COVID-19 among some crew and guests, the Louisiana Department of Health said.The probable case was found among 10 people who tested positive for the virus on Saturday, the health agency said in a tweet on Sunday.Another seven cases have since been reported, it added, taking the total number of cases among passengers and crew of Norwegian Breakaway…
U.S. Offshore Drillers Brace for Hurricane Season amid Pandemic
As oil and gas companies began shutting offshore production before the first tropical storm of the season in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, experts said restarting wells and refineries will take longer and prove more costly this year because of COVID-19.Well shut-ins typically last a few days or weeks at most, but oil companies have adopted stringent virus precautions for refinery and offshore staff, including frequent health checks, travel restrictions, onsite protective gear, and…
Maritime, Measles & Quarantine
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease. It is so contagious that 90% of non-immune persons will become infected if an infected person is in the immediate vacinity. It is an airborne disease spread through coughs, sneezes, and contact with saliva or nasal secretions. The virus can live for up to two hours in infected airspace or on infected surfaces. Individuals are infectious from four days before symptoms appear until four days after the patient is symptom-free. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, and a red, flat rash.
Maritime Quarantine & Isolation
Seven years ago, I authored an article on quarantine and isolation. With the outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, it is time to dust off and update that article. The concepts of quarantine and isolation lie at the juncture of medicine, law and public safety. When these concepts intersect with the maritime community, things quickly get both interesting and complicated. Quarantine and isolation have been invoked in cases of communicable diseases throughout human history. Special treatment of lepers is mentioned in the Bible.
Quarantine and Isolation
Dennis L. The concepts of quarantine and isolation lie at the juncture of medicine, law, and public safety. When these concepts intersect with the maritime community, things quickly get both interesting and complicated. Quarantine and isolation have been invoked in cases of communicable diseases throughout human history. Special treatment of lepers is mentioned in the Bible. During the middle ages, the Venetians required ships arriving from suspect areas to anchor out of port for 40 days, based on the assumption that any disease on board would run its course during that time. Modern quarantine and isolation are more sophisticated, but only slightly.
ICCL Adopts Guidelines to Prevent and Reduce Risk of SARS
The International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and its 16 members today announced formal adoption of aggressive new guidelines to prevent the occurrence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) – both before and after ships sail. Developed in close consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Canada, the measures are designed to protect ships’ passengers, crew and ports of call alike. Although no confirmed reports of SARS have been reported on any ICCL member vessel, the membership of the ICCL is acting with an abundance of caution. In the weeks following the initial outbreak of SARS, cruise…
