open access

Vol 72, No 3 (2021)
Original article
Submitted: 2021-07-25
Accepted: 2021-08-11
Published online: 2021-09-29
Get Citation

Management of COVID-19 on board the mixed cargo ship Aranui 5

Jean-Claude Chatard1, Jean-Marc Le Gac2, Sylvie Gonzalo3, Philippe Vaysse4, Mathieu Coulange5
·
Pubmed: 34604983
·
IMH 2021;72(3):155-162.
Affiliations
  1. Faculty of Medicine Jacques Lisfranc, University Lyon-Saint-Etienne, France
  2. Health Simulation Centre of Scorff, Group, C3S-Groupe Hospitalier of Bretagne sud, Lorient, France
  3. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
  4. Medical Department of Aranui 5, Raiatéa, French Polynesia
  5. Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France

open access

Vol 72, No 3 (2021)
MARITIME MEDICINE Original article
Submitted: 2021-07-25
Accepted: 2021-08-11
Published online: 2021-09-29

Abstract

Background: During cruises, the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections poses serious organizational problems such as those encountered in 2020 by the Zaandam, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle or the Diamond Princess. In French Polynesia, the mixed cargo ship Aranui 5 transports both tourists and freight to the Marquesas Islands. The purpose of this article is to show how COVID-19 infections were diagnosed and contained before and after passengers boarded a cruise.
Materials and methods: On October 15, 2020, 161 passengers including 80 crew members embarked for a 13-day voyage from Papeete to the Marquesas Islands. Prior to boarding, all passengers underwent a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test; the tests results were all negative. On Day 0, 3, 5, 8 and 11, Biosynex® rapid antigen diagnostic tests were carried out on all or some of the crew members and tourists who may have had contact with new positive cases. Each day, forehead or temporal temperatures were measured using an infrared thermometer and questions were asked concerning the subjects’ health status. When a subject was positive, the person and their contacts were isolated in individual cabins. The infected person then left the vessel to be received in a communal reception centre on the nearest island.
Results: A total of 9 positive cases were observed, including two before departure (a tourist and a crew member). During the trip, 7 crew members tested positive. The patients and their contacts were isolated and then disembarked at the earliest opportunity. At the time of sampling, the subjects were asymptomatic. The patients and their contacts all became symptomatic within 24 to 48 hours after sampling.
Conclusions: In total, the voyage could be completed without any transmission on board among the tourists and with a minimum transmission among the crew members, thus maintaining the tourist and economic activity of the islands during the times of COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Background: During cruises, the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections poses serious organizational problems such as those encountered in 2020 by the Zaandam, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle or the Diamond Princess. In French Polynesia, the mixed cargo ship Aranui 5 transports both tourists and freight to the Marquesas Islands. The purpose of this article is to show how COVID-19 infections were diagnosed and contained before and after passengers boarded a cruise.
Materials and methods: On October 15, 2020, 161 passengers including 80 crew members embarked for a 13-day voyage from Papeete to the Marquesas Islands. Prior to boarding, all passengers underwent a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test; the tests results were all negative. On Day 0, 3, 5, 8 and 11, Biosynex® rapid antigen diagnostic tests were carried out on all or some of the crew members and tourists who may have had contact with new positive cases. Each day, forehead or temporal temperatures were measured using an infrared thermometer and questions were asked concerning the subjects’ health status. When a subject was positive, the person and their contacts were isolated in individual cabins. The infected person then left the vessel to be received in a communal reception centre on the nearest island.
Results: A total of 9 positive cases were observed, including two before departure (a tourist and a crew member). During the trip, 7 crew members tested positive. The patients and their contacts were isolated and then disembarked at the earliest opportunity. At the time of sampling, the subjects were asymptomatic. The patients and their contacts all became symptomatic within 24 to 48 hours after sampling.
Conclusions: In total, the voyage could be completed without any transmission on board among the tourists and with a minimum transmission among the crew members, thus maintaining the tourist and economic activity of the islands during the times of COVID-19 pandemic.

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Keywords

cruise, crew members, French Polynesia, rapid antigenic diagnostic orientation tests, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), virus infection

About this article
Title

Management of COVID-19 on board the mixed cargo ship Aranui 5

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 72, No 3 (2021)

Article type

Original article

Pages

155-162

Published online

2021-09-29

Page views

6870

Article views/downloads

632

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2021.0031

Pubmed

34604983

Bibliographic record

IMH 2021;72(3):155-162.

Keywords

cruise
crew members
French Polynesia
rapid antigenic diagnostic orientation tests
reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
virus infection

Authors

Jean-Claude Chatard
Jean-Marc Le Gac
Sylvie Gonzalo
Philippe Vaysse
Mathieu Coulange

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