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5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

pablomorgan

Well-known member
A crew member on a cruise ship traveling in Alaska waters has been isolated on the vessel after being diagnosed with a probable case of swine flu, state health authorities said this morning.



If confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control, it would be the first case of H1N1, or swine, flu in Alaska since the outbreak began.

It was not immediately clear where the ship is. State public health authorites have scheduled a news conference for later this morning.

The state Division of Public Health issued the following written statement:

"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) this weekend that a crew member onboard the Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship currently traveling through Alaska waters, is recovering from a probable infection with H1N1 (swine) flu.

"Testing was performed at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory because the patient became ill while the ship was in the Washington area. The CDC is in the process of validating the laboratory’s results. The crew member, whose illness began on May 2, 2009, has completed a course of antiviral medication and has been isolated onboard.



“The Serenade of the Seas medical staff members have done an excellent job in caring for the patient, following strict isolation procedures in order to prevent spread to others onboard the ship, and notifying state and federal health officials of the patient’s illness,” said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer.

"Ship medical staff members routinely evaluate every passenger and crewmember who is identified with influenza-like illness for influenza. One additional crewmember was diagnosed with influenza that began on April 30, when the ship was in California. He was placed in isolation, treated with antiviral medications, and recovered uneventfully. An H1N1 (swine) flu confirmatory test was not performed on this patient. No other cases of influenza have been diagnosed onboard the ship this month.

“Appropriate precautions were taken in accordance with current recommendations for controlling the spread of influenza. This is very reassuring news for Alaskans who might have come in contact with passengers and crew members who disembarked from the ship while it was in port,” Dr. Butler said."
http://www.adn.com/life/health/story/790532.html
 
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Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Should he have been allowed to continue on to Alask?
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Acording to the cdc :smartass:
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

It seems to be heading for the Hubbard Glacier.
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

May 10, 2:19 PM EDT


Swine flu suspected for cruise ship crewman
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Federal health officials say a crew member aboard a cruise ship currently traveling in Alaska waters is recovering from a probably infection of swine flu.
Alaska Department of Health and Social Services officials on Sunday said they were informed of the case by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Testing was performed at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory since the crew member became ill while the Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship, was in the Washington area.
The crew member's illness began on May 2. State officials say she is taking antiviral medication, and has been in isolation since the ship left Washington.
Officials say she will remain in isolation for the ship's cruise through Alaska waters.:tiphat:http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=18&path=A/AK_SWINE_FLU_ALASKA
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Probable case of H1N1 (swine) flu detected on ship in Alaska waters

Department of Health and Social Services to hold press availability Sunday morning
Contact:
Ann Potempa, Cell (907) 230-4001, ann.potempa@alaska.gov
Clay Butcher, Cell (907) 351-2778, clay.butcher@alaska.gov
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) this weekend that a crew member onboard the Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship currently traveling through Alaska waters, is recovering from a probable infection with H1N1 (swine) flu. Testing was performed at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory because the patient became ill while the ship was in the Washington area. The CDC is in the process of validating the laboratory’s results. The crew member, whose illness began on May 2, is taking antiviral medication and has been in isolation since the ship left Washington. She will remain isolated throughout the duration of the ship’s voyage in Alaska waters.
“The Serenade of the Seas medical staff members have done an excellent job in caring for the patient, following strict isolation procedures in order to prevent spread to others onboard the ship, and notifying state and federal health officials of the patient’s illness,” said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer.
Ship medical staff members routinely evaluate every passenger and crewmember who is identified with influenza-like illness for influenza. One additional crewmember was diagnosed with influenza that began on April 30, when the ship was in California; he was placed in isolation, treated with antiviral medications, and recovered uneventfully. An H1N1 (swine) flu confirmatory test was not performed on this patient. No other cases of influenza have been diagnosed onboard the ship this month.
Appropriate precautions were taken in accordance with current recommendations for controlling the spread of influenza. This is very reassuring news for Alaskans who might come in contact with passengers and crew members who disembarked from the ship while it was in port,” Dr. Butler said.
WHAT: Press availability about probable case of H1N1 (swine) flu on a cruise ship
WHEN: Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m.
WHERE: Department of Health and Social Services Emergency Operations Center
DHSS Public Health Laboratory in Anchorage
4500 Boniface Parkway (map to lab)
WHO: Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Bernd Jilly, DHSS Chief of the Section of Laboratories:tiphat:http://www.hss.state.ak.us/press/2009/cruise_flu.htm
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Alaska Cruise Ship Information Related to Novel H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu)​
What are cruise lines doing specifically to prevent transmission of H1N1 flu?​
[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]
Cruise Lines International Association, Inc. (CLIA) members have developed the following protocol to help prevent the introduction and spread of influenza viruses including the novel H1N1 influenza strain on board cruise ships:​
? Passengers, visitors and crew will be required to complete and sign a written health questionnaire prior to initial embarkation. This questionnaire is designed to screen for symptoms of influenza.
    1. Passengers and visitors who are acutely ill with influenza symptoms or have an illness suggestive of novel H1N1 influenza will be denied boarding.
    2. ? Member lines will coordinate closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to utilize recommended disinfectants and sanitation protocols with the goal of reducing the possibility of viral transmission, including swine flu.
      ? Member lines will maintain an adequate supply of antiviral medications, personal protective equipment, and appropriate diagnostic test kits, as recommended by CDC.
      ? Member lines will continue to develop and maintain current CDC case management protocols for influenza illness including surveillance, examination, treatment, and isolation of ill passengers and crewmembers.
    3. If a passenger or crew member develops influenza
    1. [/FONT]
    1. [/FONT][FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]like illness symptoms en route, they will be medically evaluated and confined to their cabin quarters for the duration of the illness.
      [*]Ill persons will not be allowed to disembark from the vessel during their isolation period unless they need further medical attention.
      [*]? If novel H1N1 infection is suspected in a passenger or crewmember, the ship?s medical officer (or designee) will report to the US Quarantine Station closest to the port of expected arrival.
      [*]In Alaska, this would be the CDC?s Anchorage Quarantine Station.

[/FONT][/FONT]
What are health officials doing to prevent community transmission of influenza by cruise line passengers and crew members?​
  1. [FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]
    [*]Anchorage Quarantine Station staff will promptly notify the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services? Section of Epidemiology (SOE) of any suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of novel H1N1 influenza infection among passengers or crewmembers that have been reported to them by a cruise ship.
    [*]SOE will notify local public health nursing staff in the community where the cruise ship is scheduled to dock of the number and status of suspect cases on the cruise ship.
    [*]Public health nursing staff will notify local authorities.
    [*]Public health nursing staff will also notify the appropriate local health care personnel (e.g., emergency department staff) should a patient onboard a cruise ship need further care related to suspected (or confirmed) novel H1N1 influenza infection.
    [*]When the ship arrives in a U.S. port, Quarantine officials will work with the cruise ship industry and local and state public health officials to assist with medical transportation of the patient upon arrival, disease control and containment measures, passenger and crew notification and surveillance activities, communicating with local public health authorities, and cruise ship disinfection procedures.
    [*]The State Public Health Laboratory will assist in laboratory specimen testing of suspect cases.
[/FONT][/FONT]
For more information on CLIA members, go to:​
[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]http://www.cruising.org/CruiseLines/index.cfm

[/FONT][/FONT]
For information on CDC?s interim guidance for cruise ships, go to:​
[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/cruiseships.htm

[/FONT][/FONT]
For up to date information on the novel H1N1 influenza epidemic, go to:​
[FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]http://www.pandemicflu.alaska.gov/

[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Calibri,Calibri][FONT=Calibri,Calibri]Materials produced by the State of Alaska, May 2009 :tiphat:http://www.pandemicflu.alaska.gov/PDFs/CruiseShips.pdf
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

The crew member, whose illness began on May 2, 2009, has completed a course of antiviral medication and has been isolated onboard.

"Ship medical staff members routinely evaluate every passenger and crewmember who is identified with influenza-like illness for influenza.

One additional crewmember was diagnosed with influenza that began on April 30, when the ship was in California. He was placed in isolation, treated with antiviral medications, and recovered uneventfully. An H1N1 (swine) flu confirmatory test was not performed on this patient. No other cases of influenza have been diagnosed onboard the ship this month.

...Alaskans who might have come in contact with passengers and crew members who disembarked from the ship while it was in port,? Dr. Butler said."
http://www.adn.com/life/health/story/790532.html


So 2 crew members are illnessed.

The last one 7 days ago, from a flu which many supposed have both droplets/surfaces and gastroint. ways of spreading.
And nobody else is incubated?

Hard to believe on an closed environment as an cruise ship is ...

Hopefully the ship will remain in an 15 days quarantine, anchored off shore.
(they have plenty of comodity already there)
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Probable case of swine flu on cruise ship
May 10, 2009 02:30 PM EDT

by Channel 2 News staff
Sunday, May 10, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services said Sunday a crew member on a cruise ship sailing in Alaska waters is the first suspected case of swine flu in Alaska.
The Serenade of the Seas crew member is said to be recovering from a probable infection of the H1N1 virus. The Centers for Disease Control tested the person at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory because the illness began in Washington on May 2 and is in the process of verifying the results.
The DHSS press release said the crew member is in isolation onboard the Royal Caribbean ship and has completed a course of antiviral medication.
"The Serenade of the Seas medical staff members have done an excellent job in caring for the patient, following strict isolation procedures in order to prevent spread to others onboard the ship, and notifying state and federal health officials of the patient's illness," said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska's chief medical officer.
One other crew member on the ship was diagnosed with influenza last month while in California, but it was not suspected to be swine flu. No other influenza cases have been diagnosed on the ship.
"Appropriate precautions were taken in accordance with current recommendations for controlling the spread of influenza. This is very reassuring news for Alaskans who might have come in contact with passengers and crew members who disembarked from the ship while it was in port," Butler said.
The Serenade of the Seas is a 962-foot cruise ship with a passenger capacity of 2,501.:tiphat:http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10335834
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

I wonder what the passengers have been told about this event. I would be mad as hell.
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

State confirms swine flu sickened cruise worker


The Associated Press
Published: May 12th, 2009 09:33 PM
Last Modified: May 12th, 2009 09:33 PM
State health officials say tests have confirmed that swine flu sickened a cruise ship crew member. The testing was done at the Washington State Public Laboratory and results were verified on Sunday, but it wasn't until Tuesday that the lab was formally authorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to issue confirmations.



The female crew member aboard the Serenade of the Seas became ill on May 2 and has since recovered after a course of treatment and CDC-recommended seven-day period of isolation.
No others aboard the ship have reported symptoms determined to be swine flu.
Alaska health officials say the case can't be considered Alaska's first case for several reasons, including that the woman became ill before entering state waters.:tiphat:http://www.adn.com/life/health/story/793445.html
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Alaska says 5 swine flu cases on cruise liner

Mon Jun 8, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Five crew members on a Holland America cruise ship have been diagnosed with the H1N1 swine flu virus after tests in the Alaskan port of Ketchikan last week, according to the Alaska Division of Public Health.

The crew members, from the ship named Zaandam, were tested last Wednesday, and results of tests conducted by the state's virology laboratory turned out positive, said Dr. Beth Funk, an epidemiologist with the division.

A representative of Holland America, a cruise line owned by Carnival Corp, did not return a call seeking comment.

Carnival's shares closed down 2.2 percent at $25 on the New York Stock Exchange.

"We were asked to do the testing on some of the ill crew members when the ship was in Ketchikan last week," Funk said. Five specimens were taken, and "all five were positive for the novel H1N1 strain of influenza," she said.

Funk said she did not know what the crew members did after the tests results came back Thursday or where the ship was as of Monday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5575RG20090608
 
Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

According to today's state epidemiology swine flu charts, only 1 of those cases is confirmed. It was updated June 8th at 3PM. The chart totals is 5 cases.


Most of the crews on these ships cannot come ashore, since they are foreign citizens who lack necessary papers.

.
 
Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Re: Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Alaska says 5 swine flu cases on cruise liner

Mon Jun 8, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Five crew members on a Holland America cruise ship have been diagnosed with the H1N1 swine flu virus after tests in the Alaskan port of Ketchikan last week, according to the Alaska Division of Public Health.
...
Funk said she did not know what the crew members did after the tests results came back Thursday or where the ship was as of Monday.
...

Maybe the ship is in the Bermuda triangle ...

What a "good" policy to loose track of an pandemic infected cruise ship which maybe cruise by some other landscape or town now, spreading infection.

Am I wrong, or a ship with an sticky infectious respiratory disease, must declared "yellow flag" and stay off shore, or be quarantined before leave on shore the passengers ...

Reminescences of the Aussi cruiser story.


The crew members could infect many, if mainly have an mingling passengers duty.

Are we speaking of flu here, an respiratory epidemic disease - or we reach the infection chain mediatic negation now, no other infected ...
 
Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

The summer cruise ships follow a scheduled route. The government official may not know where it is, but the tour company does.

These companies are very good at dealing with infectious disease on the ships - they deal with Norovirus on a regular basis. Their protocol of isolating the ill, whether passengers or crew, works very well. I don't know why the Aussi ship had so many problems.

The tour companies have a large financial incentive to keep their customers healthy - a large portion of their profits come from both various onboard sales and big land tour commissions. Ill customers cannot spend money on these profitable items. Most tour group disease transmissions are due to customers, as they try to avoid the company-mandated quarantine that will occur if their illness is discovered, or they don't practice good hygiene. The fact that most "sick ship" passengers don't get ill demonstrates the value of good sanitation/hygiene practices.

.
 
Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

Nice words, but not enaugh in such pandemic frangents.

The portual officials must know if the boat is in national waters.

The dealing of cruise ships with norovirus were widely publicly known by many media news releases previous years.

Many of the cruiser ships experienced an 10-20% of passengers infected by norovirus, and some had renewing infections even after an throughout docked decontamination in developed countries.

Avoiding quarantine measures must be banned, or sanctionated, if we want a slowing of spreadings.

The summer cruise ships follow a scheduled route. The government official may not know where it is, but the tour company does.

These companies are very good at dealing with infectious disease on the ships - they deal with Norovirus on a regular basis. Their protocol of isolating the ill, whether passengers or crew, works very well. I don't know why the Aussi ship had so many problems.

The tour companies have a large financial incentive to keep their customers healthy - a large portion of their profits come from both various onboard sales and big land tour commissions. Ill customers cannot spend money on these profitable items. Most tour group disease transmissions are due to customers, as they try to avoid the company-mandated quarantine that will occur if their illness is discovered, or they don't practice good hygiene. The fact that most "sick ship" passengers don't get ill demonstrates the value of good sanitation/hygiene practices.
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Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

"Sick ships" are identified well in advance. in my small community, even local restaurants know when those ship's healthy passengers are in town, and some people take extra precautions.

Avoiding quarantine measures must be banned.

Cruise companies can exercise their option to remove uncooperative ill passengers from their group, quarantine them to in city hotel, then send them home when they're well enough to fly. Occasionally this is necessary.

If you're proposing police action, that would require hiring 24/7 guards. Then what do you do when they break quarantine - put them in jail where they can infect inmates? The cheapest solution is to do what is being done. If there were a higly lethal pandemic, I can't imagine that there would be a single person on a cruise ship.

It all comes down to personal choice. People know they're risking Noro or influenza when they board a cruise ship or tour group & they accept the risk. Anyone who wants to be 100% guaranteed they won't get ill shouldn't get on a cruise ship, ....or anywhere else where people gather.

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Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

"Sick ships" are identified well in advance. in my small community, even local restaurants know when those ship's healthy passengers are in town, and some people take extra precautions.

That's precisely the point.

Novel pandemic beginings is not norovirus, but worst, and respiratory/gastro.

Here at FT, diferently than from the main media releases,
we know that there are many (~30%?) asymptomatic silent spreaders of infection.

The above means that on an infected flu ship, the seemingly healthy passengers also, could be illnessed and becamed spreaders.

So, allowing such infected ship, by the portual officials, and the ship captain, to anchor on the shore, plus additionaly allow the passengers get off and roaming into the place/town, restorants, etc., represent an spreading of the illness.

The captain must raise the yellow flag and remains off shore.
And the portual officials must deny the ship to leave passengers on the soil.

The additional specialistic health help could be boarded off shore, and the serious cases need hospital care could be lifted off and with biosafety measures lifted to a land hospital.

Cruise companies can exercise their option to remove uncooperative ill passengers from their group, quarantine them to in city hotel, then send them home when they're well enough to fly. Occasionally this is necessary.

Quarantining them in a hotel must be done only in previously prepared hotels, which have special biosafety measures at place, instead there will be many possibilities of breaching the quarantine, even for people roamings everywhere, if there are not armed guards on the entrance.

The question of "well enaugh to fly", must be reimpasted to "after 7-10 days plus lab clearance, before flying".

If you're proposing police action, that would require hiring 24/7 guards.
Then what do you do when they break quarantine - put them in jail where they can infect inmates? The cheapest solution is to do what is being done. If there were a higly lethal pandemic, I can't imagine that there would be a single person on a cruise ship.

The action i proposed, the same one proposed in the Aussi cruisers threads posts, is a well known procedure, and I displayed it at the begining of this post.

And it is precisely the cheapest solution, and the more secure for the other populations on soil, not the actual one.

By leaving the ship off shore, to navigate the ocean, or waiting on an nearby anchoring place, for a week, is the best way to quarantine them all, at once, without any need for additional 24h guards, or breaking quarantine possibilities, because they will be rounded by the ocean.

On the ship, the huge ship crew already dealing with the passengers needs, with individual shields, could observe theirs individual rooms or single deck stile inner ship quarantine.

That means having a week of already payed cruising, only on the ship,
or an additional week more, if near the end of the cruise.

Such ships have plenty of food, water, room baths, etc., and the special meds or heath experts equipes could be easily boarded by a boat from land.

Obviously, apart the unwillingness to be quarantined of the ship folks, the question who will pay some more bucks, as for the airport quarantines, is the reason to break the neccessary rules.
 
Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

The procedures used by the ships here have clearly been working just fine, if only 5 people have the flu. If the captain kept a ship offshore for only 5 quarantined ill people or the ship was denied docking over only 5 ill people, the passengers would come unglued! Hotels used for quarantines are well able to care for a few sick people. At this point in time the number of A/H1N1 ill in Alaska is so small I cannot imagine anyone would tolerate such draconian measures.

We don't stop all airplane flights because one passenger has TB, we don't stop people driving between states because one state has rodent-acquired plague, we don't halt all livestock trade in the country because one flock in Texas has a few cases of anthrax, and we don't halt all blood transfusions because of one case of HIV-tainted blood. Until this flu becomes a highly lethal strain, I for one will continue my life with precautions similar to what I do at all times. For anyone who is terrified of getting sick, even when they can be expected to recover - well, I guess they can live their lives barricaded in their homes. I think there are many people who aren't terrified of this flu, at this point, and they would loudly resent any measure to curtail their vacations when only 5 people are ill and it obviously is contained.

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Re: 5 swine flu cases confirmed on cruise ship in Alaska waters

"I for one will continue my life with precautions similar to what I do at all times."

:) Do it than, but your private individual policy have nothing to do with the society flu infectious barriering/quarantining.

When it comes near us, seems that all these years tones of digital FT speaks about pandemic measures dissolves ...

The measures enacted by health quarantines must preserve the already non infected citizens from infections.

Sorry AD, but statements like you assumed: "if only 5 people have the flu",
are totaly wrong, and embrace an kind of mediatic brainwashing experienced from the begining of spreadings.

Such above public statement is totaly unscientifical,
or if it is not, that means we have not to deal with an influenza pandemic, but with an deliberately sprayed self-contained agent.

How could anybody said that in an closed mingling environment as an ship, with scientificaly proved asymptomatic carriers, there are only 5 people with the flu, and the others a flu-free?

That is nonsense of the media releases.

If realy there are not more infected, than this agent is not natural flu.


The cited cases of TB, blood, etc., could be only blamed on why the society tolerate such outrageous non shielding.

But even than, TB is not an novel pandemic flu, and by inserting the travelers health stating docs with passeports when traveling, it could be stoped.
Blood could be better controled also.
Etc.


Are we read the same documents and interpretations here?

At the same time when it is guessed by sci.'s that in USA there are about several milions of infected, and the official worldwide count are 10 times or more lower, you stick to an interpretation that on an cruiser ship there are no more infected than the 5 conclamated?

It could not be true. No way.


The procedures used by the ships here have clearly been working just fine, if only 5 people have the flu. If the captain kept a ship offshore for only 5 quarantined ill people or the ship was denied docking over only 5 ill people, the passengers would come unglued! Hotels used for quarantines are well able to care for a few sick people. At this point in time the number of A/H1N1 ill in Alaska is so small I cannot imagine anyone would tolerate such draconian measures.

We don't stop all airplane flights because one passenger has TB, we don't stop people driving between states because one state has rodent-acquired plague, we don't halt all livestock trade in the country because one flock in Texas has a few cases of anthrax, and we don't halt all blood transfusions because of one case of HIV-tainted blood. Until this flu becomes a highly lethal strain, I for one will continue my life with precautions similar to what I do at all times. For anyone who is terrified of getting sick, even when they can be expected to recover - well, I guess they can live their lives barricaded in their homes. I think there are many people who aren't terrified of this flu, at this point, and they would loudly resent any measure to curtail their vacations when only 5 people are ill and it obviously is contained.
.
 
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