Residents of Portland can now be notified should an infectious disease outbreak take place on a cruise ship bound for the city’s harbor.
Local activists say a new opt-in text alert system is the first of its kind to inform the public of potentially contagious passengers coming to port.
Matthew Day, cofounder of the volunteer group Portland Cruise Control, said the idea for the notification system started last fall, when the Oceania Insignia docked downtown during a norovirus outbreak. More than 13% of passengers were sickened but the public was told not to be alarmed.
“The cruise lines, they’re not happy about having to make reports and we frankly don’t trust them to do that because it’s bad for business,” Day observed.
The company said ill crew members and passengers were isolated and disinfection procedures took place but Day noted norovirus can spread before symptoms appear. He said with hundreds of ships coming to Portland each year, residents can now be better informed and take any necessary precautions.
Cruise ships are currently required to inform the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if 3% or more of passengers and crew are sick but only when an international port is on the itinerary. Domestic cruises have less stringent reporting requirements in place.
Day stressed his group would like to see more uniform criteria, along with improved sanitation, including hand-washing stations, for passengers as soon as they disembark. He said it has become increasingly important for local communities and health departments to take action due to the staff and funding cuts at the CDC.
“We can, as a city, make certain requirements, and one would be direct reporting from the cruise ship to the harbor master or to the public health department, where we’re not reliant on the CDC,” Day asserted.
The cruise industry and the tourists supporting local businesses are an important part of Portland’s economy. The Cruise Lines International Association says when it comes to Maine, it is committed to responsible tourism and managed growth.
Day added it is the people who work in downtown businesses who are most at risk should sick passengers come ashore and his group will continue to work with the city council to ensure any communication gaps regarding outbreaks are closed.
This article is republished from Public News Service under a Creative Commons License. Read the original story here.
