Swine flu case suspected on cruise ship in Alaska waters

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."

Hattip Pablomorgan