Clinical characteristics of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on a cruise ship. Issue 11 (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yoshimura, Yukihiro; Sasaki, Hiroaki; Horiuchi, Hiroshi; Miyata, Nobuyuki; Tachikawa, Natsuo
• Is Part Of: Journal of infection and chemotherapy. Volume 26:Issue 11(2020:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1177
• Page End: 1180
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Coronavirus infection -- COVID-19 -- Cruise; Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.5805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2020.06.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1341-321X

Abstract

Abstract: Background: A large COVID-19 outbreak occurred on the cruise ship Diamond Princess in February 2020. Little information has been reported about the clinical characteristics of the patients. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted in Yokohama, Japan. We included symptomatic patients who were infected on the ship and admitted to our hospital between 5 and 19 February 2020. All the cases were confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: We confirmed 17 cases. The average age was 69 years; 10 patients were Asian and 7 were Caucasian. Eleven patients had one or more chronic diseases. The major symptoms were cough and fever. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans found bilateral ground-glass opacities predominantly in the peripheral area, which were similar to reports from cases in China. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were higher in severe and critical cases than in mild to moderate cases. The moderate to severe cases reached symptomatic resolution; one of the three critical cases resulted in death due to multiple organ failure. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by PCR at an average of 7 days after symptomatic resolution. Conclusions: Cough and fever, increased blood CRP levels, and CT findings of bilateral ground-glass opacities predominantly in the peripheral lung were characteristic of the COVID-19 cases in this study. These findings were compatible with those of previous reports.