Cruise Bruise Blog
March 19, 2009
March 19, 2009
Celebrity Mercury Norovirus Problem Fueled By Inspection Violations
The problem with Norovirus aboard Celebrity Mercury is ongoing, with an additional 119 being reported sick on the 2/28-3/15 cruise.
There had been 157 sick with Norovirus on the 1/3-1/17 cruise. The CDC was monitoring the ship. At that time, A CDC public health investigation team boarded the ship on January 10th in Puntarenas, Costa Rica to conduct an epidemiologic investigation and evaluate the ship's infection control procedures. The CDC team sailed through the remainder of the voyage. The voyage began in San Diego, CA on January 3rd and concluded in Fort Lauderdale, FL on January 17th.
With Norovirus, after a cruise and scrubbing of the vessel, the problem doesn't simply go away. With sick crew aboard, those ill having touched food that was stored, as well as the virus taking route in crew cabins and passenger cabins by sick cabin steward's cleaning the cabins at the end of the cruise, the disease normally infects those passengers on the subsequent cruise, but in reduced numbers.
The numbers continue to drop in the next cruise, and the CDC does not track the virus unless the numbers reach reportable levels again. Seeing the outbreak on February 28 at reportable levels, we can expect in a truly new outbreak, there were sick aboard on at least one cruise prior to the CDC reportable level cruise.
Given this, it is highly likely that this outbreak aboard Mercury has been on going since late in December 2008, minimum and a given that the current cruise is infecting passengers as well.
The ship was inspected for the semi-annual inspection on March 8, 2009, during this latest outbreak. The CDC said, "The vessel was in code red at the time of the inspection", meaning they were in the middle of an outbreak with heightened levels of sanitation protocol.
An insect problem was noted during the inspection. Insect problems aboard cruise ships are not normal as the crew has a pest control plan and follows it closely. This exception may be an indication that it was a contributing factor to the Norovirus outbreak problems aboard Mercury.
Violations noted related to pests during code red were:
"Site: Buffet-Lido Beverage Station (Midship/Port)
Violation: Several drain flies were noted on the deckhead and bulkhead. There were also a few drain flies observed on the juice dispensers
Recommendation:Ensure that the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests is effectively controlled to minimize their presence in the food storage, preparation, service areas, warewashing, and utensil storage areas aboard a vessel.
Site: Buffet-Lido Corner Service Line #3 (Starboard)
Violation: A few live drain flies were found in this area.
Recommendation:Ensure that the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests is effectively controlled to minimize their presence in the food storage, preparation, service areas, warewashing, and utensil storage areas aboard a vessel.
Site: Pantry-Lido Pantry
Violation: A few live drain flies were found in this area.
Recommendation:Ensure that the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests is effectively controlled to minimize their presence in the food storage, preparation, service areas, warewashing, and utensil storage areas aboard a vessel.
Site: Provisions-Dry Storage
Violation: A few small flies were found in this area.
Recommendation:Ensure that the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests is effectively controlled to minimize their presence in the food storage, preparation, service areas, warewashing, and utensil storage areas aboard a vessel."
Violations noted in the childrens' area, during code red, could be contributing to the outbreak. Children are a primary source of disease spread because they touch so much and then the hands go the face and mouth. As well, slack sanitation surrounding diapering and the area diapers are changed in, are known major contributors to the spread of Norovirus and communicable diseases.
The violations in the children's area were:
"Violation: There were no disposable gloves in the toilet room. There was a diaper changing station in the toilet room that was not supplied with disposable diapers and a disinfectant for the table. Additionally, the sanitary wipes in the toilet room were dry. This was corrected.
Recommendation:Ensure that each station includes: (1) A changing table that is impervious, nonabsorbent, nontoxic, smooth, durable, and cleanable, and designed for diaper changing; (2) A supply of disposable diapers, gloves, wipes, table cleanser, and disinfectant; (3) An airtight, soiled-diaper receptacle; and (4) An adjacent handwashing station.
Site: Children Area-
Violation: There were no disposable gloves in the toilet room. There was a diaper changing station in the toilet room that was not supplied with disposable diapers and a disinfectant for the table. Additionally, the sanitary wipes in the toilet room were dry. This was corrected.
Recommendation:Ensure that each toilet facility is provided with a supply of toilet tissue, disposable gloves, and sanitary wipes.
Site: Children Area-
Violation: The toys were said to be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each cruise and not daily as required. Additionally, it was stated that during code red the toys were cleaned and disinfected at the end of each day and not frequently as required.
Recommendation:Ensure that toys used in the child-activity center are cleaned and disinfected daily. Balls used in ball pits/pens shall be cleaned at least once per week, unless otherwise contaminated."
While the cruise industry as a whole, Celebrity Cruises and certainly the ship Mercury are all aware that slack job performance will contribute to the spread of disease, they continue to put the health of the their passeengers and crew at risk by ignoring proven methods of reducing the risk of disease spread.
See al the summaries of outbreaks here
