Caribbean Princess struck by norovirus, sickening 102 passengers and 13 crew
Hantavirus outbreak: Cruise ship pulls out amid concern for American passengers
A deadly hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship has sparked global health concerns. Three passengers died, and 150 fled to the Canary Islands, while American states monitored 17 returning Americans. The WHO specifies a low person-to-person spread for the Andes virus, unlike COVID-19, and the CDC ranks this as a Level 3 emergency.
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More than 100 people have been affected by the norovirus outbreak on the Caribbean Princess cruise, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Thursday.
According to the report, 102 passengers out of 3,116 (3.3%) and 13 crew members out of 1,131 (1.2%) were reported to be ill, with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting. The outbreak was reported to the CDC on May 7.
The cruise took place from April 28 to May 11, according to the CDC.
Princess Cruises said a limited number of people reported mild stomach ailments during the cruise.
NOROVIRUS SICKENS OVER 200 SHIP PASSENGERS ON MONTH-LONG TRIPS
The cruise takes place from April 28 to May 11. (Getty Images)
“Princess Cruises can confirm that a limited number of people reported mild illness during the April 28 Caribbean Princess sailing from Port Everglades,” the statement read.
“We quickly disinfected the entire ship and added additional cleaning supplies throughout the voyage. Upon arrival at Port Canaveral on May 11, Caribbean Princess will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before departing on her next voyage,” the statement continued.
To reduce the spread of the virus, Princess Cruises reported to the CDC that the ship has increased cleaning and disinfection procedures in accordance with its outbreak response plan, collected samples from seats for testing, individual passengers and crew, and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) regarding sanitation measures and case reporting.
CDC REPORTS 21ST CRUISE SHIP NOROVIRUS CASES THIS YEAR, NEARLY 100 PEOPLE INFECTED
102 of 3,116 passengers (3.3%) and 13 of 1,131 (1.2%) crew members were reported sick, according to the CDC. (Getty Images)
The CDC said its Sanitation Program is conducting a field response, including environmental testing and outbreak investigations, to help control the spread of the disease.
Stewart Chiron, a Miami-based cruise industry expert known as “The Cruise Guy,” told Fox News Digital that norovirus is common in the US, with millions of cases reported each year, and cases linked to cruise ships make up a small portion of the total.
The 3D illustration shows a cruise ship surrounded by virus particles and bacteria that represent disease outbreaks and contamination risks such as norovirus and E. coli. (Stock)
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He said outbreaks often begin when infected passengers board a ship and unknowingly spread the virus, but cruise lines follow strict sanitation protocols and quickly isolate sick people to minimize transmission. He added that the reported cases on the Caribbean Princess just exceeded the CDC threshold of 3% used to define an outbreak.
Norovirus is a common cause of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships. The CDC notes that the total number of reported cases reflects illness throughout the trip and does not mean that all passengers were ill at the same time.
