MSC Cruises passengers to be screened for swine flu

News just in that MSC Cruises will now screen passengers for H1N1 swine flu by using thermal-imaging cameras prior to boarding.

The results of a scan are available within seconds, as cameras produce infrared images of a person’s body, detecting higher-than-normal body temperatures, according to MSC Cruises.

MSC has said the Italian cruise line will have thermal-imaging cameras at the embarkation points of every one of its 11 ships, enabling its medical staff to monitor the temperature of every embarking passenger.

"An infrared camera is a very effective yet nonintrusive tool for detecting people infected with a viral disease even at a very early stage," MSC said in a statement.

MSC has not given up on old-fashioned prevention methods, either. The line upgraded the hand sanitizers in most public areas of its ships and introduced a "How to Stay Safe" video on each ship’s in-cabin TV network.

This is a cruise blog entry by Phil