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What to Do About Unhealthy Cruises
Aired November 22, 2002 - 13:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Holland America cruise ship Amsterdam is docked in Florida for a stem to stern, top-to-bottom cleaning. That after more than 500 people on the ship's last four voyages became sick. During the next 10 days, the Amsterdam's crew members will dry clean, steam clean and disinfect every surface aboard that vessel.
Meanwhile, a cruise on board the Disney ship Magic has turned out to be anything but magical for dozens of passengers. About 100 people on board have become ill with stomach symptoms associated with the Norwalk virus. The CDC is investigating this latest sick ship incident.
Joining us now with the details is CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Hopefully, with some advice.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We will have advice at the end of this report. So listen through to the end.
From time to time, we hear about these outbreaks of what is called Norwalk or Norwalk-like virus on cruise ships. Let's take a look at the most recent two. Aboard the Disney Magic, 100+ sick. The source of the illness unknown; it's possible that it could be Norwalk or Norwalk-like virus. The symptoms look similar. The ship is expected to dock tomorrow, and the CDC will board the ship.
This follows the Holland America Amsterdam ship illnesses, 500 people sick over the last four voyages of that ship. The source is not food and not water, according to the CDC. It looks like Norwalk virus, which is a virus -- a group of viruses actually -- that causes something that feels and looks like the stomach flu. And it is passed person to person. And again, the CDC is going to board the Disney ship and do a stem to stern, as Kyra said. looking for what possibly could be the cause.
PHILLIPS: Now to that advice: What do we do if we are about to go on a cruise. Buy a lot of Cipro?
COHEN: I suppose that might be one way to do it, but probably a better idea would be to take care of it before you get on the ship and get sick. You can go to the CDC Web site. You can go to their vessel sanitation program Web site. And on the left-hand side you can click on a link which is really pretty incredible. You can choose which ship you are going to go on. They have them listed there. And they will give you the latest inspection report for that ship; and in fact, they have the ones that haven't done so well in another category some that have done very well, some that you might possible want to get on. So they are all there in graphic detail how each individual ship has done.
PHILLIPS: Good news.
Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 22, 2002 - 13:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Holland America cruise ship Amsterdam is docked in Florida for a stem to stern, top-to-bottom cleaning. That after more than 500 people on the ship's last four voyages became sick. During the next 10 days, the Amsterdam's crew members will dry clean, steam clean and disinfect every surface aboard that vessel.
Meanwhile, a cruise on board the Disney ship Magic has turned out to be anything but magical for dozens of passengers. About 100 people on board have become ill with stomach symptoms associated with the Norwalk virus. The CDC is investigating this latest sick ship incident.
Joining us now with the details is CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Hopefully, with some advice.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We will have advice at the end of this report. So listen through to the end.
From time to time, we hear about these outbreaks of what is called Norwalk or Norwalk-like virus on cruise ships. Let's take a look at the most recent two. Aboard the Disney Magic, 100+ sick. The source of the illness unknown; it's possible that it could be Norwalk or Norwalk-like virus. The symptoms look similar. The ship is expected to dock tomorrow, and the CDC will board the ship.
This follows the Holland America Amsterdam ship illnesses, 500 people sick over the last four voyages of that ship. The source is not food and not water, according to the CDC. It looks like Norwalk virus, which is a virus -- a group of viruses actually -- that causes something that feels and looks like the stomach flu. And it is passed person to person. And again, the CDC is going to board the Disney ship and do a stem to stern, as Kyra said. looking for what possibly could be the cause.
PHILLIPS: Now to that advice: What do we do if we are about to go on a cruise. Buy a lot of Cipro?
COHEN: I suppose that might be one way to do it, but probably a better idea would be to take care of it before you get on the ship and get sick. You can go to the CDC Web site. You can go to their vessel sanitation program Web site. And on the left-hand side you can click on a link which is really pretty incredible. You can choose which ship you are going to go on. They have them listed there. And they will give you the latest inspection report for that ship; and in fact, they have the ones that haven't done so well in another category some that have done very well, some that you might possible want to get on. So they are all there in graphic detail how each individual ship has done.
PHILLIPS: Good news.
Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
