Monday, April 1, 2024

New Cruise Ship Reports Gastrointestinal Outbreak

cruise ship norovirus outbreak

It’s really not that surprising that norovirus outbreaks have already reached a high water mark this year. As many Covid-19 precautions went the way of sweater vests in late 2022, it’s probably not a coincidence that this past winter saw a surge of norovirus cases in general, as I reported for Forbes on February 10, 2023. On top of that, cruise ships returned to full operations for the entire calendar for the first time since early 2020. Throw in the whole idea of “revenge travel” with people scrambling to catch up on travel delayed by the pandemic, and you’ve got a bunch of set ups for norovirus outbreaks. Norovirus is also known as the “Cruise ship virus” because conditions on cruise ships can stack the deck for the spread of norovirus, so to speak.

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These models helped visualize continued norovirus transmission and sources of potential exposure (e.g., contaminated surfaces in cabins of persons with AGE and high-touch surfaces in common areas). The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) requires cruise ships to log and report the number of passengers and crew who say they have symptoms of gastrointestinal illness. Learn more about illnesses and outbreaks reported to VSP and find information about outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships. In 2012, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 34.

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Norovirus is often referred to as a "stomach bug" or "stomach flu" (although it is not a form of flu). It causes a variety of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. People infected with the virus may also have headaches, fevers and body aches, and are at risk of dehydration. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), every cruise ship must have a place to isolate any passengers who have a contagious disease.

Outbreaks 2015 reports

This outbreak left 110 of 838 (13.1%) passengers and nine of 455 (1.98%) crew members sick in a bad way. Norovirus outbreaks have hit ships from a range of different cruise ship companies including Viking Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and P&O Cruises. Yeah, even though norovirus is known as the “Winter vomiting bug,” it’s activity is not necessarily confined to the colder months. To try to help prevent the spread of stomach viruses at sea, the CDC randomly inspects cruise ships and scores them on a scale of 0 to 100 through the Vessel Sanitation Program. Inspection scores of 85 and lower are considered "not satisfactory" by the agency.

cruise ship norovirus outbreak

For example, should someone tell you, “I am having some explosive diarrhea, but should still be able to dance with you,” tell them that “explosive diarrhea” is not something that you want to dance around. "MSC Cruises rigorously adheres to health protocols, and the results of this inspection do not reflect the brand's high standards," the person added. Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to

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Twenty-eight guests on Silversea Cruises’ Silver Nova, along with one crew member, fell ill. This represented over 4% of the passengers aboard (required for CDC reporting). MIAMI — A COVID-19 outbreak took place on a South Florida-based cruise ship for the third time this week, as the number of coronavirus cases in Florida hit its highest level since the start of the pandemic. In the past 10 years, only three other cruise ships have received sanitation scores below 70, CDC records show. Violations can include something as small as not posting a raw-eggs advisory on the omelet station or a single fly hovering in a food area.

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cruise ship norovirus outbreak

In March, Celebrity Cruises reported two norovirus outbreaks, as did Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises reported its first outbreak of the year in February, and Royal Caribbean International reported two the previous month. P&O Cruises also reported an outbreak on its Arcadia cruise ship this year. While there have been 13 outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships this year, Labus explained that not every cruise passenger is going to be exposed to the virus. Still, taking certain steps to prevent the likelihood of getting sick is never a bad idea. What’s more, the CDC has established a rigorous Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) to help prevent the overall spread of illnesses on cruise ships.

How does norovirus spread on cruise ships?

Norovirus withstands chlorine, prolonged exposure outside the body, as well as temperature extremes. Like a virus, Norwalk can't be effectively treated with antibiotics, making it extremely difficult to eliminate in closed environments - like cruise vessels. Hand hygiene is key to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus — but the way you clean your hands matters, experts note. It has to be with soap and water, because alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against norovirus. The number of outbreaks in the first six months of 2023 is higher than the yearly total during every year since 2012, when there were 16 outbreaks on cruise ships reported to the CDC.

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The ship includes multiple kitchens, grills and even an interactive space where guests can cook with Compton. Introduced in 2023, the Silver Nova boasts butler service for every suite, one crew member for every 1.3 guests and “outstanding gastronomy” — it even welcomed “Top Chef’s” Nina Compton to its ranks at the end of last year.

The total number of infected was 2535 (of those 2450 passengers and 85 crew). In 2018, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 15. The total number of infected was 1177 (of those 1099 passengers and 78 crew). Most recently, a norovirus outbreak in June on the Viking Neptune sickened 110 passengers (over 13% of the ship's guests) and nine crew members with vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, according to the CDC. The CDC has tracked outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships through its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) since 1994.

It's not about the passengers' health (never been) - it's about the big money that rules our world. Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Horizon cruise ship is shown docked at PortMiami in April. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating more cruise ships due to new COVID-19 cases aboard. At this time, the type of disease is not yet confirmed, though the primary symptom is diarrhea.

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