ABSTRACT
In April 2020, a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak occurred on the cruise ship Costa Atlantica in Nagasaki, Japan. Our outbreak investigation included 623 multinational crewmembers onboard on April 20. Median age was 31 years; 84% were men. Each crewmember was isolated or quarantined in a single room inside the ship, and monitoring of health status was supported by a remote health monitoring system. Crewmembers with more severe illness were hospitalized. The investigation found that the outbreak started in late March and peaked in late April, resulting in 149 laboratory-confirmed and 107 probable cases of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Six case-patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, including 1 in severe condition and 2 who required oxygen administration, but no deaths occurred. Although the virus can spread rapidly on a cruise ship, we describe how prompt isolation and quarantine combined with a sensitive syndromic surveillance system can control a COVID-19 outbreak.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Ships , Adult , Disease Outbreaks , Humans , Japan/epidemiology , Male , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify positive effects from the Japan Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT) medical operation in the Diamond Princess cruise ship (DP). METHODS: Japan DMAT dispatched and managed the medical operation for DP passengers and crew members. The records of communication logs for the DMAT were evaluated. RESULTS: 472 DMAT members were responded. DMAT took 3 to 4 days to manage patients due to a lack of medical supplies at the early phase of operation. The prescription was delayed for prescription required passengers that include passengers who will be in critical health conditions without prescriptions. DMAT conducted a strategic operation and developed categorization for medical care and patient transport. Eventually, DMAT constructed flow to provide rapid medical care and prescription distributions for passengers and crew members. CONCLUSION: DMAT has been required to respond to unforeseen disasters in the framework since the Fukushima Nuclear Plant accident in 2011. All the past several types of disaster response were contributed to managing medical operations at the DP. These operations are thought to reduce preventable deaths from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).