"More recently, the hantavirus has infected passengers aboard the MV Hondius, and although it doesn't look as if the virus will cause a pandemic, in some ways the situation is worse (at least for those on the cruise). With hantavirus, the incubation period can take up to six weeks, so people must be isolated for a really long time to ensure they won't get sick and start infecting others. That's not even the only cruise in the news right now for public health reasons-a norovirus outbreak on a ship called Ambition recently made dozens of passengers sick shortly after the trip began."
"From a theoretical perspective, cruises are absolutely great places for illnesses to thrive. A 2022 study gave participants contact-tracing devices to estimate how many close contacts they had each day while on a cruise-basically, evaluating the likelihood of an infectious disease's spread. They found that the average cruise ship passenger had a total of 20 unique close contacts a day, despite measures on the ship in question to try to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases aboard. That's a lot of potential for an infection to pass from person to person."
"There are some good reasons to be wary of cruises. One of the most striking memories for many of us from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic is the Diamond Princess. At one point, the luxury ship accounted for a remarkable 50 percent of all confirmed coronavirus cases."
"As an epidemiologist, I am regularly asked whether I'd take a cruise. There are constant outbreaks of infectious disease on these floating holidays, and people want to know whether I would tolerate the risk of getting ill on a cruise ship. So, as someone who knows a fair bit about disease spread, do I think cruises are worth it, health-wise? The answer, as with many things, is a bit complicated."
Cruise ships have repeatedly been linked to infectious disease outbreaks, including major COVID-19 cases on the Diamond Princess, hantavirus infections on the MV Hondius, and a norovirus outbreak on the Ambition. Hantavirus can require isolation for up to six weeks because of a long incubation period, increasing the burden on affected passengers. Norovirus can sicken dozens of passengers shortly after a trip begins. From a theoretical standpoint, cruises can support transmission because passengers have many close contacts each day. A 2022 study using contact-tracing devices found an average of 20 unique close contacts per passenger daily, even with measures intended to reduce COVID-19 cases. Evidence on overall health risk remains limited.
Read at Slate Magazine
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