Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study
Introduction: Cruise ship linked COVID-19 outbreaks have been identified as a potential source of community transmission of COVID-19 in Australia and worldwide. The risk factors and potential mitigation around COVID-19 infections on cruise ships and communities is a research gap. Methods: A correlat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Travel Medicine Center of Iran
2020-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_119534_550421b9e1139603f85c3fc9af97d25a.pdf |
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| author | Ashley Quigley Phi Yen Nguyen Haley Stone Samsung Lim C Raina MacIntyre |
| author_facet | Ashley Quigley Phi Yen Nguyen Haley Stone Samsung Lim C Raina MacIntyre |
| author_sort | Ashley Quigley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Cruise ship linked COVID-19 outbreaks have been identified as a potential source of community transmission of COVID-19 in Australia and worldwide. The risk factors and potential mitigation around COVID-19 infections on cruise ships and communities is a research gap. Methods: A correlation and regression analyses for risk factors for COVID-19 attack rates oncruise ships worldwide with reported COVID-19 from January 1, 2020 to May 11, 2020 were performed, with a more detailed analysis done for Australia. Geospatial emerging hot spot analysis during key time periods was used to assess temporal trends in spatial clustering of COVID-19 cases related to two cruise ship events in NSW, Australia. Results: For 36 cruise ships with global COVID-19 cases, available cabins had a moderate inverse correlation with the attack rate (-0.4154; 95% CI [-0.0002, -0.00003], P < 0.0118). The number of cabins, the number of decks with cabins, and passenger-to-space ratio were significantly associated with attack rate, however, the duration at sea was not. By May 2020, cruise ship passengers made up 14.9% of COVID-19 cases in Australia and 27% of the COVID-19 related deaths. Emerging hot spots of community transmission in Sydney occurred during 1-2 incubation periods of two cruise ship events. Conclusion: Mitigation of risk on cruise ships should focus on spatial design and reducing crowding, including rapid surveillance and on-board testing. To mitigate this risk during the era of COVID-19, all passengers disembarking an infected ship should be quarantined for at least the 14-day window period and tested for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms. Vaccination should be a pre-requisite for travel of any kind once available. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:54:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c0788bb451349d682e5fdf6bc2ca6de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2322-1100 2476-5759 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:54:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | International Travel Medicine Center of Iran |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c0788bb451349d682e5fdf6bc2ca6de2022-12-21T22:47:44ZengInternational Travel Medicine Center of IranInternational Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health2322-11002476-57592020-11-0191101810.34172/ijtmgh.2021.03119534Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case StudyAshley Quigley0Phi Yen Nguyen1Haley Stone2Samsung Lim3C Raina MacIntyre4Biosecurity Research Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaBiosecurity Research Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaBiosecurity Research Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaIntroduction: Cruise ship linked COVID-19 outbreaks have been identified as a potential source of community transmission of COVID-19 in Australia and worldwide. The risk factors and potential mitigation around COVID-19 infections on cruise ships and communities is a research gap. Methods: A correlation and regression analyses for risk factors for COVID-19 attack rates oncruise ships worldwide with reported COVID-19 from January 1, 2020 to May 11, 2020 were performed, with a more detailed analysis done for Australia. Geospatial emerging hot spot analysis during key time periods was used to assess temporal trends in spatial clustering of COVID-19 cases related to two cruise ship events in NSW, Australia. Results: For 36 cruise ships with global COVID-19 cases, available cabins had a moderate inverse correlation with the attack rate (-0.4154; 95% CI [-0.0002, -0.00003], P < 0.0118). The number of cabins, the number of decks with cabins, and passenger-to-space ratio were significantly associated with attack rate, however, the duration at sea was not. By May 2020, cruise ship passengers made up 14.9% of COVID-19 cases in Australia and 27% of the COVID-19 related deaths. Emerging hot spots of community transmission in Sydney occurred during 1-2 incubation periods of two cruise ship events. Conclusion: Mitigation of risk on cruise ships should focus on spatial design and reducing crowding, including rapid surveillance and on-board testing. To mitigate this risk during the era of COVID-19, all passengers disembarking an infected ship should be quarantined for at least the 14-day window period and tested for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms. Vaccination should be a pre-requisite for travel of any kind once available.http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_119534_550421b9e1139603f85c3fc9af97d25a.pdfcovid-19travelcontact tracingpublic healthspatial analysisinfection control |
| spellingShingle | Ashley Quigley Phi Yen Nguyen Haley Stone Samsung Lim C Raina MacIntyre Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health covid-19 travel contact tracing public health spatial analysis infection control |
| title | Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study |
| title_full | Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study |
| title_fullStr | Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study |
| title_short | Cruise Ship Travel and the Spread of COVID-19 – Australia as a Case Study |
| title_sort | cruise ship travel and the spread of covid 19 australia as a case study |
| topic | covid-19 travel contact tracing public health spatial analysis infection control |
| url | http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_119534_550421b9e1139603f85c3fc9af97d25a.pdf |
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