NCOV – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.pdf
Subject: Novel Coronavirus (NCOV) – Now known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-COV)
Background
As of June 5, 2013:
- 55 people have been confirmed to be infected with a new virus!
- More than half of the people infected have died from the virus! Most cases have originated from the Arabian Peninsula (Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates).
Several cases have been reported in Italy, France, the UK and Tunisia; however these cases originated from travel to the Arabian Peninsula or from close contact with a sick person who had traveled to the area indicating a person-to-person transmission.
Symptoms
Infected persons have suffered a very severe, pneumonia-like illness.
Consider a crewmember or passenger as “Suspicious” if they have the following symptoms:
- An acute respiratory infection, which may include fever of greater than or equal to 38°C or 100.4°F
- Cough and shortness of breath, and
- History of travel from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries within 14 days; or
- Persons who develop sever acute lower respiratory illness who are close contacts of an ill symptomatic traveler who developed fever and acute respiratory illness with 14 days after travel from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries.
AGENTS – PLEASE SHARE THE FOLLOWING WITH VESSEL MASTERS, OWNERS, OPERATORS AND CHARTERERS
Isolate Suspiciously Ill Crewmembers
Suspicious ill crewmembers and passengers should be isolated in a private cabin until they are evaluated by a doctor to prevent transmission to others.
Contact with other passengers and crew should be minimized.
If masks are available, the ill crewmember or passenger should wear a mask while not in isolation to prevent further spread.
Notification Requirement
U.S. Foreign Quarantine Regulations, 42 CFR Part 71.21, require the master of a ship destined for a U.S. port to immediately report the onboard occurrence of any death or any ill person
among passengers or crew to the quarantine station with jurisdiction over the port at which the ship will arrive.
Note: For vessels arriving on the Lower Mississippi River, Masters should notify the Quarantine Station in Houston, TX at (281) 230-3874.
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Houston Quarantine Station Jurisdiction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) operates a quarantine station in Houston. The station’s jurisdiction includes all ports in East Texas (Health Districts 4–7) and Louisiana. The station also oversees the Dallas Quarantine Station’s jurisdiction of North Central Texas (Health Districts 1– 3), Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
Quarantine Station Activities
- Respond to reports of illness or death on airplanes, cargo vessels, and other conveyances at international ports of entry within jurisdiction.
- Review medical records of immigrants who will reside permanently in the United States. Notify state and local health departments and refer immigrants with specific medical conditions.
- Partner with other federal agencies, local and state health departments, private medical providers, and hospitals in preparedness activities related to quarantine and isolation at ports of entry.
- Monitor importations that may have pathogens infectious to humans.
- Dispense immunobiologics and investigational drugs upon requests made to CDC. ————————————————————————
VESSEL MASTER’S ARE ALSO HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO NOTIFY THE US COAST GUARD, US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION and ALL PILOT ASSOCIATIONS!!!
For vessels arriving on the Lower Mississippi River:
United States Coast Guard
Port State Control/Arrivals Branch – Sector New Orleans
Phone: (504) 365-2342 FAX: (504) 365-2360
United States Customs and Border Protection Marine Division – New Orleans Tri-Port
Phone: (504) 623-6666Fax: (504) 623-6662
New Orleans BAR Pilot Dispatch: (504) 524-3474
New Orleans Crescent Pilot Dispatch: (504) 392-8001 New Orleans-Baton Rouge Pilot Dispatch: (504) 219-2611 New Orleans Federal Pilots: (504) 456-0787
More Information
- Reporting guidance can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/travelindustry/cruise/notification- public-health-authorities-ill-passengers-crew-destined-unitedstates.html
- Information regarding CDC Quarantine stations can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/quarantinestations.html (Also see attached)
