Monday, April 1, 2024

Norovirus outbreaks surging on cruise ships this year

norovirus cruise ship outbreak

Named after Norwalk, Ohio, where the first outbreak was identified in 1968, norovirus can lead to severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and, in certain cases, even more serious consequences such as severe dehydration. VSP may also post information on gastrointestinal illness outbreaks of public health significance that do not necessarily meet the above criteria. However, unlike on land, most basic travel insurance policies don't cover medical treatments on cruise ships as they are not from the patient's primary caregiver. Purchasing cruise travel insurance with health coverage (medical clauses) is highly recommended.

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However, in March 2022 the agency dropped the health notice, though it strongly urged against cruising without a booster shot. Such viral/bacterial outbreak incidents affect the vacation experience of thousands of people, being packed up in a floating resort for many days on end. In confined spaces with frequent passenger turnover (like big capacity cruise ships), it is easy for diseases to spread - whether food- or air-borne, or otherwise. However, there's a tendency to cover up the severity of this issue. During that time frame, approximately 127 million passengers sailed on the 252 cruise ships under VSP jurisdiction.

Seasickness on cruise ships

Norovirus outbreak leaves nearly 100 Celebrity cruise passengers sick - USA TODAY

Norovirus outbreak leaves nearly 100 Celebrity cruise passengers sick.

Posted: Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Additional med staff is sent to the ship in port to assist the disembarkation of infected passengers. Another possibility is the cruise ship to cancel all the itinerary's foreign ports of call and to return to its US home-port before the end of the voyage. That means data for norovirus on cruise ships is more readily available than for other entities.

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This may explain why so many people of all ages get infected during norovirus outbreaks. Gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships dropped dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, but cases have risen again as the industry has bounced back. A norovirus outbreak can cause significant disruption to the planned activities and itineraries of a cruise.

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norovirus cruise ship outbreak

Sickness outbreaks are considered as such if the percentage of infected people is over 3%. The virus is not seasonal and usually not serious (in medical terms). It hits 1 in 5 people annually and is the cause of ~50% of all foodborne illness outbreaks in the USA and for ~90% of all non-bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The following statistics show the number of cruise ship illness outbreaks in recent years. You can compare the number of reports (CDC and news media sources) and the total number of infected (passengers and crew). You can get norovirus from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

norovirus cruise ship outbreak

Norovirus is very contagious, but you can take steps to stop it from spreading. Symptoms usually last one to three days and most people recover, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to the CDC, your likelihood of getting a norovirus infection is also determined in part by your genes. Norwegian Cruise Line said the ship's "management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of all on board."

Zika virus on cruise ships

When a single case of norovirus appears on a cruise ship, it can quickly become an outbreak affecting hundreds or even thousands of people. This can happen incredibly quickly due to the confined nature of a cruise ship and the frequency of close interactions among passengers and crew. Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the “winter vomiting bug,” is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

More from CBS News

The ship departed Peru and made several port calls in South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The CDC hasn’t confirmed this, although symptoms disclosed, like diarrhea, make Norovirus a possible cause. Lastly, “if you see someone sick like vomiting or having diarrhea, remove yourself from the area and notify cruise staff if they are not already aware,” Boden-Albala says. According to the CDC, the incubation period for norovirus — the time it takes between infection and the onset of symptoms — is between 12 and 48 hours. You can use hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing, but hand sanitizer is not a substitute for handwashing. Chiron says cruise lines try to keep ships clean and limit some interactions.

Outbreaks 2015 reports

[+] on January 12, 2019, after returning a day early from a seven-night Caribbean cruise when over 400 passengers and crew members suffered gastrointestinal illness due to a suspected Norovirus outbreak. Norovirus cases aboard cruise ships have spiked for the first time in over 10 years, and experts believe more lenient travel restrictions and an increase in cruise passengers following the Covid pandemic are to blame. The simple answer is that cruise ships are required to report cases of acute gastroenteritis to the CDC, even when the numbers are low. In contrast, other entities — schools, nursing homes, hospitals and restaurants — are not. 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.

Officials in the island nation of Mauritius blocked a Norwegian Cruise Line ship from docking there Sunday after more than a dozen passengers were stricken with a stomach illness. Most people get better after a few days, but severe cases may require hospitalization. There’s no specific treatment or antiviral for norovirus, according to Ostrosky, but most cases can be managed at home with supportive care like hydration and rest.

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.

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