A norovirus outbreak aboard a luxurious cruise ship has left over 224 passengers and 17 crew members in poor health, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control.
The affected voyage was a luxurious Cunard Line ship touring from Southampton, England, by way of New York and the Caribbean earlier than returning to the UK, in accordance with CruiseMapper.
The ship, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, is scheduled to journey on this route for practically a month, having departed on March 8 and set to return on April 6.
The sweeping norovirus outbreak was reported to the CDC on March 18, in accordance with the company.
In response to the outbreak, the ship and crew elevated cleansing and disinfection procedures, collected stool specimens for testing and remoted individuals who had fallen in poor health, the CDC stated.
Norovirus is a really contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea and is usually known as the “abdomen flu” or the “abdomen bug,” in accordance with the CDC.
It’s the leading cause of foodborne illness in america. Different signs could embrace abdomen ache, fever, headache, physique aches or dehydration, in accordance with the CDC.
The virus can be fairly frequent, especially on ships. There have been 12 GI outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025, thus far, in accordance with the CDC.
Based on the federal health agency, yearly the norovirus causes between 19 and 21 million sicknesses, 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths.
An individual can develop into contaminated by having direct contact with somebody who’s contaminated and sharing meals or utensils with them; touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus after which touching their face or mouth; or consuming contaminated meals or liquids.
Usually, an contaminated individual will develop signs between 12 to 48 hours after being contaminated. Nevertheless, norovirus usually resolves rapidly and, in most wholesome adults, lasts one to a few days, in accordance with the CDC.
There isn’t a particular treatment or antiviral for norovirus, which means the one remedy out there is managing signs.
The CDC recommends staying hydrated and ingesting liquids that replenish electrolytes, which could be depleted by way of diarrhea and vomiting.
Washing arms with cleaning soap and water for at the least 20 seconds is without doubt one of the greatest methods to forestall unfold. To stop contamination from meals, be certain vegatables and fruits are washed, and that shellfish is cooked to at the least an inner temperature of 145 F.
ABC Information has reached out to Cunard Line for a remark.
