The coronavirus may sink the cruise-ship business

The industry has few friends and its main customers, the elderly, may shun it for good.

WHEN THE ZAANDAM, a cruise ship operated by Holland America Line, left Buenos Aires on March 7th, its passengers were promised 31 nights of “elegant and comfortable” luxury. They are now approaching Florida, and their holiday has been anything but elegant, comfortable or luxurious. More than 1,000 people have been confined to their cabins since March 22nd. As of March 30th at least 193 had fallen ill with flu-like symptoms, several have tested positive for covid-19 and four have died. Fearing contagion, the ports of call have kept her out; and so the Zaandam has been stuck at sea. Even its final destination, Fort Lauderdale, may not accept the ship.  Read more >>

Police catch British, US and Australian tourists at 'drug-fuelled' party with Thai girls in defiance of coronavirus lockdown

 By Ryan Fahey

➧Three Britons in their 20s were seized for flouting lockdown in Phuket, Thailand
➧They were among a group of foreigners partying with five semi-clad Thai women
➧Officers reported the discovery of cannabis and cocaine at the party property
➧Phuket, one of the world's most popular tourist resorts, is now ranked the fourth most infected province in Thailand with 71 confirmed cases, just trailing Bangkok

Police have arrested a group of British, American and Australian tourists at a 'drug-fuelled' party with Thai girls in defiance of coronavirus lockdown.

The British men, George Oliver Hoskins, 23, Saul Alan Jones, 22, and Stuart Alexander McDonogh, 29, were among nine foreigners and five Thai women partying in Phuket, Thailand, on Wednesday night.

 It was in defiance of a strict curfew and lockdown on the coronavirus-ravaged island, which is one of the worst hit Covid-19 areas of Thailand.  Read more >>

The strongest Coronavirus symptom to look out for after further Covid-19 research

Scientists at King's College London have been tracking symptoms via a specially-created app

Coronavirus tests (Image: Getty Images)

Researchers have said a loss of sense of smell and taste could be the best way to tell whether you have coronavirus.

Scientists at King's College London have been tracking symptoms via a specially-created app.

By March 31, the Covid Symptom Tracker App had more than 1.8 million users sign up to log their symptoms, or lack thereof, daily.

Some 59% of the 1.5 million people who had signed up by March 29 and tested positive reported a loss of smell and taste, compared with 18% of those who tested negative, analysis of the data showed.

Researchers said the reports of those symptoms were much stronger in predicting a positive Covid-19 diagnosis than self-reported fever, the Mirror reports.  Read more >>

Experts tell White House coronavirus can spread through talking or even just breathing

By Elizabeth Cohen

(CNN) - A prestigious scientific panel told the White House Wednesday night that research shows coronavirus can be spread not just by sneezes or coughs, but also just by talking, or possibly even just breathing.

"While the current [coronavirus] specific research is limited, the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing," according to the letter, written by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences.

Fineberg told CNN that he will wear start wearing a mask when he goes to the grocery story.  Read more >>

Print this so you don't bring coronavirus home

Covid-19 tips: How to clean your home.

By Scottie Andrew, CNN

(CNN) - Life under coronavirus means staying home as much as possible -- but you'll likely need to make a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy at some point.

With the help of physicians and infectious disease experts, we built a tip sheet to make sure you don't bring the virus back with you.  Read more >>

'Sailors do not need to die': Captain of aircraft carrier asks for help with onboard COVID-19 outbreak

The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which recently docked at Guam due to an onboard COVID-19 outbreak, is shown here in 2018 as it arrives in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

(Image: © Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

By Stephanie Pappas

The captain of a nuclear aircraft carrier docked near Guam has written a letter begging the Navy for help as at least 100 Sailors have become ill with COVID-19.

The San Francisco Chronicle acquired the letter, which was written Monday by Capt. Brett Crozier aboard the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. Within the letter, Crozier outlines the impossibility of social distancing aboard an aircraft carrier, with its shared bathroom facilities, berths and dining facilities.

"The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating," he wrote. Noting the urgency of the situation, Crozier also wrote, "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors."

Four thousand crew members are aboard the ship, and only a handful of ill individuals have been evacuated to Guam, the Chronicle reported. To stop the spread of COVID-19 and prevent deaths, Crozier wrote, it is necessary to evacuate all but a skeleton crew from the ship and to find safe, isolated places for potentially exposed Sailors to quarantine.  Read more >>

Fishermen arrested, Bahamas Defence Force investigating

By Deandrea S. Hamilton

#Coral Harbour Base, 29 MAR. ‘20 (RBDF): Members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force brought 10 foreign fishermen into the Defence Force Base Sunday evening after their vessel was apprehended in the Ragged Island chain on Friday.

While on routine Patrol, HMBS CASCARILLA, under the command of Sub Lieutenant Owen Sands boarded a Bahamian registered vessel off Water Cay, in the vicinity of a ragged Island Chain. Aboard were 7 Dominican nationals, 1 Cuban, 1 Honduran and a Bahamian National. The situation is being investigated by relevant authorities at this time.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains committed to patrolling our borders and protecting the territorial integrity of The Bahamas.  (source)