Norovirus Outbreak Sickens 115 on Cruise Ship
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Over 100 people, including 102 passengers and 13 crew members, have fallen ill due to a norovirus outbreak on the Princess Cruises ship Caribbean Princess, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The infected individuals have been isolated from other travelers, and the ship has undergone thorough disinfection and increased sanitizing measures during the voyage.
- The Caribbean Princess departed from Port Everglades, Florida, on April 28 with 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members, and is currently near the Dominican Republic, with plans to stop in Nassau, Bahamas.
- Norovirus is highly contagious and commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting; it spreads easily through contaminated food, water, and surfaces, and is a frequent cause of outbreaks on cruise ships.
- Princess Cruises confirmed the illness involved mild gastrointestinal symptoms and stated the ship will be fully cleaned and disinfected before its next trip; the cause of the outbreak has not been identified.
