SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia — When Cambodia’s prime minister greeted passengers on a cruise ship amid a coronavirus scare on Valentine’s Day, embraces were the order of the day. Protective masks were not.
Before the Westerdam docked in Sihanoukville, fearful governments in other countries had turned the ship away at five ports of call even though the cruise operator, Holland America, assured officials that the ship’s passengers had been carefully screened. Many health experts urge people who have been in contact with coronavirus patients to self-quarantine for 14 days, lest they add another spoke to the contagion network.
“This is influenza-like transmission,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “It’s like trying to stop the wind.” On Monday, an announcement broadcast to passengers remaining on the Westerdam warned that they should avoid the ship’s hot deck and return to their air-conditioned rooms to avoid falsely high temperature readings.
Even if temperatures are accurately gauged, people may be taking medication that lower their temperature, like some arthritis drugs. On Monday evening, passengers celebrated news from Cambodian health officials that a first batch of 406 people in Phnom Penh had tested negative, although there was no certainty they would not later test positive.
Despite cases of coronavirus popping up in Southeast Asia, Hun Sen has campaigned against masks, arguing that they are better at spreading fear than stopping germs. At a news conference last month, he announced that he would kick out anyone who dared wear a mask.
Hope they make all the money they were seeking ...
Masks don’t stop the spread of a virus. Only a respirator will. The surgical masks do NOTHING
Hardly. This panic is hardly justified with the available/revealed data. Unless someone wants to manipulate world markets and stock prices. coronavirus mortality is less than 1% Recovery rate is way higher than that.
Quel pavillon ce bâteau ?!!?
Thailand too: landed at DMK in Bangkok last night from Saigon and was not subjected any screening. Nor was anyone else as far as I could tell.
It has been a Chinese colony for some time, no independence.
Absolute pantomime... what a mess.
Trump junior....aka: SCUMBY
All for a reckless political show by the dictator who ruled as Cambodia's PM for over three decades.
Corona virus is a flu virus. Flu viruses only survive in cold weather (hence flu season). It’s super hot in Cambodia right now. There will undoubtedly be cases from travelers, but becoming a “vector of transmission” is quite the exaggeration.
Cambodia is afraid of China. They cannot deny cruise ships berthing for Wuhan pneumonia.
Covid 9 Ny times
Yes.
Yet I keep seeing articles that masks don’t work and no need to wear them.
Wow. Thanks. Don't think the country is ready to cope with an epidemic.
awesme
nytimes Totally agree with this article on Cambodia’s apparent China leanings. That’s the main reason why the ship was allowed to dock. Duterte would’ve probably done the same, good thing somebody told him not to do it
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