Cruise Ship Terrorism?

NewsMax ^ | 12/03/02 | Christopher Ruddy

[Heartlander2]

Cruise Ship Terrorism? Terrorism can't be behind the spate of cruise ship virus outbreaks.

Nope. Impossible. That's the verdict of our officials in Washington.

"There's nothing that we've seen thus far to suggest this is any sort of bioterrorism," Tom Skinner, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the AP. "Though it's not common that we see these outbreaks of this sort of magnitude, it's certainly not unheard of."

What's their proof?

They have none, really. Just their guess.

Last week I spoke with a very prominent Washington journalist, who suggested the cruise ship outbreaks may be a dry run by terrorists before they use more deadly viruses.

His surmise was made before another two ships, including Carnival's Fascination, returned to port carrying as many as 170 ill passengers.

The passengers on Fascination were hit with the Norwalk virus, a gastrointestinal virus that has been around for decades. But it has never seemed to target cruise ships as it has in the past several weeks.

So far, more than 1,000 passengers have been stricken by the virus while on cruise ships.

Holland America's The Amsterdam ship was struck several times with the virus. Decontamination has not seemed to work.

Disney has spent millions on its ship, the Magic, hoping to decontaminate it once and for all.

So far three ships have been hit hard (apparently others have had smaller outbreaks). All three ships were operated by different cruise lines and all sailed from different ports.

Still, the feds are firm in their conclusion. The Miami Herald reported that "CDC officials have said there is no evidence that the cruise ship outbreaks are the work of terrorists."

Still, they don't have any evidence that it isn't.

Let's not forget that this is the same CDC that that has yet to say boo about the West Nile virus, though scads of evidence points to terrorism.

Dr. Ken Alibek, former head of the Russian bioweapons program, thinks so. And so does Sen. Patrick Leahy, who recently said credible evidence points to West Nile as a test of our defenses to bioterrorism.

Sad to say, the American public is the last to know. The media won't carry any discussion of West Nile as a bioweapon. They practically censored any discussion of the snipers being Muslim terrorists. And now the cruise ship outbreaks.

Now is neither the time for censorship of important matter nor the time for hysteria. While we shouldn't jump to any conclusions about the Norwalk outbreaks, we should not immediately exclude terrorism.

How about keeping an open mind, following the evidence, asking good questions. Even if it isn't terrorism, why not use these outbreaks as a test to see what we can learn from them.

[NEWwoman]

Thought of terrorism came to my mind.

Then again, I know cruise lines hire many people from 3rd world countries at very low wages and long working hours. That is why ships usually stop at a foreign port, so they are under international not domestic labor laws.

Maybe some employees are getting even by making the passengers sick? Or maybe there are cells aboard?

[JustPiper]

Bump on the hirings, exactly. I've believed this since the third ship, hundreds of passengers.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Now is neither the time for censorship of important matter nor the time for hysteria.

Trouble is, given the general educational level and critical thinking skills of the American public, it's an either/or proposition. If there is evidence of a terrorism link, and it's not suppressed, there will be hysteria.

[Caipirabob]

Holland American's service staff is hired specifically from Indonesia and Malaysia, countries with predominantly Muslim populations. It only takes one.

[pitinkie]

They haven't said with certainty that it was norwalk..just a "norwalk-type virus".

[Bahbah]

This is by no means beyond possibility. We were at a ranch once on vacation and one guest unknowingly carried the virus in and darn near had the entire place in bed for 2 days. Not old ironsides here, BTW. This could be intentionally done.

[45Auto]

Apparently the cause is being blamed on the same virus; but what are the odds of three ships sailing from and to different ports all becoming contaminated within a period of a couple weeks? I think the number must be astronomical. Several other questions then come to mind: is it the same strain of Norwalk virus? Were the water supplies of these ships examined for the virus? Have the crew member lists been checked for Arab nationals? How easy is it to cultivate this organism in the lab?

[r9etb]

Alas, it's just a flu-like bug that's going around on land, as well as on sea. Several people in my office were stricken with it over the Thanksgiving holiday. The deal is, when you're on ship, the quarters are much closer, and it's easier to spot large numbers of cases.

[Anticommie]

Cruise Ship Terrorism?

Absolutely, watch for more "sick" ships in the nearest future, lots of moslems from mideastern countries working those ships, all it takes to contaminate water supply with anything containing virus, could be as small as a pin head.

I refuse taking any cruise until they get rid of those ragheaded workers there.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Water supplies were checked and clean. What I wonder about is the contamination of dinnerware or silverware. Then contamination source would be washed clean the next service, but the infected would carry the virus and do the rest. So, periodic scans of silver and plate ware are mandatory. And keep a watch over the salad bars and buffets.

[NEWwoman]

Scary!

[Lokibob]

Oh, come on now.

I can't imagine Osama or Saddam targeting a cruise ship with a "FLU LIKE" virus. They would use smallpox or something much bigger.

Norwalk virus is the second most common virus in the world. It is a media event, with every case being reported.

Here in Utah, I have heard of a restraunt closed twice in the last 3 weeks for Norwalk.

Wear tin foil if you must, but this isn't something Osama would do.

[mewzilla]

I don't think it's a flu-like virus. Flu's a respiratory illness, this is strictly GI. And I could see crews infecting themselves over and over until the virus works its way through everyone. What's the incubation period for this virus, anyway, anyone know?

[E=MC²]

I'm skeptical...after all, every PASSENGER is not "sanitized" before boarding and the ships do stop at ports of call during the cruise.

[MoralSense]

This most resembles the original Legionnaire's Disease outbreaks.

[tracer]

"I can't imagine Osama or Saddam targeting a cruise ship with a "FLU LIKE" virus. They would use smallpox or something much bigger."

The recent outbreaks may represent a field trial run. All we see on TV is crew members wiping down surfaces with disinfectants of questionable efficacy. It does not appear that they are addressing the most likely sources of infection, namely water and air conditioning units and ductwork.....

[r9etb]

I don't think it's a flu-like virus. Flu's a respiratory illness, this is strictly GI.

Well, OK. I've always associated flu with barfing and diarrhea, but I guess I've been wrong all this time...

All I can tell you is that a doctor told one of my co-workers he had the same thing that they were getting on the ships.

[tracer]

BTW, I forgot to mention ice machines and leaks in sewer pipes which contaminate potable water lines.....

[Lokibob]

From the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Public Health Education  web site:

http://www.astdhpphe.org/infect/norwalk.html

 

Norwalk Virus Infection

 

• Norwalk virus infection is an intestinal illness that often occurs in outbreaks.
• Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses are increasingly being recognized as leading causes of foodborne disease in the United States.
• The viruses are passed in the stool of infected persons. People get infected by swallowing stool-contaminated food or water. Outbreaks in the United States are often linked to raw oysters.
• Infected people usually recover in 2 to 3 days without serious or long-term health effects.

 

How common is Norwalk virus infection?

Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses are increasingly being recognized as leading causes of foodborne disease in the United States. However, since no routine diagnostic test is available, the true prevalence is not known. Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses have been linked to outbreaks of intestinal illness on cruise ships and in communities, camps, schools, institutions, and families.

Many oyster-related outbreaks of intestinal illness linked to Norwalk-like viruses have been reported in Louisiana, Florida, Maryland, and other states where oyster harvesting is common. In 1993, 73 people in Louisiana and about 130 others in the United States who ate oysters from Louisiana became ill. A malfunctioning sewage system was the cause of an outbreak in 1996. An outbreak in 1997 was linked to sewage from oyster-harvesting boats.