The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 1) investigated a suspected norovirus outbreak on the cruise ship MS Westerdam, which is making a brief stop at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal during daytime today. The CHP is actively following up on the incident in collaboration with relevant departments.
"On Friday evening (Feb. 27), the CHP's Port Health Division received notification from a cruise operator indicating that certain passengers and crew members aboard a vessel en route to Hong Kong were suspected of having contracted norovirus. The CHP immediately requested additional information from the cruise operator and the ship's medical personnel. Upon receiving the information yesterday, the CHP promptly convened a meeting with the relevant government departments and organisations to comprehensively assess the risks and make thorough arrangements to protect the health of those on board," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.
The cruise ship concerned arrived in Hong Kong at 4 am today. Professionals from various divisions of the CHP (including medical and nursing staff from the Port Health Division and the Epidemiology Division of the Communicable Disease Branch, as well as the Infection Control Branch) immediately boarded the cruise ship to conduct epidemiological investigations and environmental assessments, and inspect the environment and food hygiene. The CHP also set up a temporary medical station at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to provide health assessments for passengers, and instructed the cruise operator to conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the cruise ship after passengers disembarked.
Data indicated that approximately 2 000 passengers and 800 crew members were on board when it arrived in Hong Kong. The cruise ship operates a circular route and had called at ports including multiple cities in Japan, Busan in Korea, and Shanghai on the Chinese Mainland since Feb. 15. The CHP's epidemiological investigation identified 76 individuals (38 males and 38 females, aged 24 to 92) have successively developed acute gastroenteritis (AGE) symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, on board since Feb. 15. Among them, 65 were passengers and the remaining 11 were crew members. The two passengers who fell ill first boarded the cruise ship in Japan on Feb. 15 and developed symptoms on the same day. Subsequently, other individuals were affected. The investigation also found that some patients vomited in public areas on board. According to the ship's doctor, the vast majority of patients experienced mild symptoms and remained clinically stable. As of this morning when the cruise ship arrived Hong Kong, only three individuals still exhibited mild symptoms and did not require hospitalisation. According to the preliminary testing by the cruise ship's laboratory services, the stool samples from seven patients tested positive for norovirus. The CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch will conduct further testing on the relevant samples.
"After inspecting the cruise ship, the CHP personnel briefed the affected individuals and the operator on health advice and necessary infection control measures, including thorough disinfection, proper handling of vomit, and attention to personal and environmental hygiene. The CHP also recommended enhancing training for frontline cleaning staff. After completing environmental hygiene inspections and epidemiological investigations onboard, and confirming that individuals preparing to enter Hong Kong were in good health, passengers and crew members disembarked this morning. Additionally, the CHP personnel provided detailed information about norovirus to arriving passengers and crew, advising them to seek medical attention promptly if they develop related symptoms," Dr Edwin Tsui said.
After the CHP confirmed that the cruise ship had undergone thorough environmental cleaning and disinfection and the onboard hygiene conditions were deemed satisfactory, passengers and crew are allowed to board the cruise ship. It will depart Hong Kong for the Philippines this evening. The CHP will notify the health authorities in the Philippines of the incident.
"Given the current high activity levels of norovirus in some tourist destinations, particularly in neighbouring regions like Japan and Korea where activity has been rising since late last year, I urge cross-border cruise passengers and operators to pay special attention to personal, food and environmental hygiene to safeguard individual health and public health," Dr Edwin Tsui added.
Norovirus infection typically causes food poisoning and AGE with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, low-grade fever and malaise. The symptoms are usually self-limiting and most people will get better within one to three days. Norovirus can also cause outbreaks of AGE in crowded settings such as schools, elderly care facilities, hotels, amusement parks and cruise ships. Generally, norovirus is more active in winter (around December to March). As norovirus is highly contagious, individuals may become infected after being exposed to even a small amount of norovirus. The virus can be transmitted through various means, such as eating contaminated food, contact with the vomit or excreta of infected persons, and contact with contaminated objects.
To prevent norovirus infection, apart from maintaining personal hygiene, all food should also be thoroughly washed and cooked before consumption. Before handling food or eating, and after using the toilet, members of the public should wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds, then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel or hand dryer. Since alcohol is not effective in killing the norovirus, alcohol-based handrubs are not a substitute for handwashing with soap and water.
(Source: News.gov.hk)
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