NEW ORLEANS — More than a dozen breakthrough cases were reported on a Norwegian Cruise ship. That ship, with about 3,200 people on board, disembarked in New Orleans Sunday. We're told cases were mainly asymptomatic.
All eyes were on the Norwegian Cruise Liner 'Breakaway' over the weekend, as it docked in New Orleans with 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
"We were tested on Saturday but we didn't know about an outbreak on board the ship," said one passenger.
WWL-TV spoke with guests Sunday as they got off the ship. Many had just learned the situation.
"Everyone standing there with no mask on and then 10 people test positive and no one told us tonight or today, makes me mad," said another passenger.
"We heard when we got to port and saw the news, that's how we found out," a third passenger reported.
Another seven cases were confirmed later that day, bringing the total to 17. The liner also announced Monday one South African crew member, who isolated the whole trip, may have had the Omicron Variant.
"It is not surprising when one brings together lots of people from different parts of the country to spend time together unmasked," said Dr. Benjamin Springgate when asked if he was surprised to hear about the breakthrough cases.
Springgate, the LSU Health Chief of Community and Population Medicine, says when it comes to travel, people need to think about the risks.
"If your risk tolerance is such that gathering with large number of people who may be unmasked from different communities with different levels of COVID spread and that doesn't bother you than that's one perspective," he said.
The CDC currently has issued a level three of four Travel Health Notice for cruise ship passengers, saying the chance of getting COVID-19 while onboard is high. It recommends people who are not fully vaccinated and those at risk of serious illness to avoid cruises for the time being.
"Definitely as you're planning your vacation it's something to pay attention too," Springgate said.
And with Omicron now in play, Springgate says people need to think hard if the risk if worth the reward. And if so, he says get vaccinated.
"Vaccines are the best approach to reduce most serious risks with COVID-19," he said. "It reduces hospitalizations, reduces the likelihood of death and while they don't prevent every breakthrough transmission, they do prevent a lot of transmission."