More than 100 passengers and a dozen crew members aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship have fallen ill with norovirus during a 13-day Eastern Caribbean voyage. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 102 passengers and 13 of the 1,131 crew members experienced symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.
Rapid Spread in Close Quarters
The highly contagious stomach virus spread quickly in the close-contact environment of the ship, which departed from Port Everglades, Florida. The vessel is currently en route and scheduled to arrive in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Monday. Princess Cruises has intensified cleaning efforts across the ship, including disinfection of high-touch surfaces, and has isolated affected individuals to curb further transmission. A comprehensive disinfection is planned once the ship docks.
Separate Hantavirus Incident
In a separate health incident, 17 American passengers from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak are being quarantined in Nebraska. The individuals returned from Tenerife, Spain, and are undergoing daily monitoring by health authorities. Hantavirus, a potentially severe respiratory illness, is transmitted through rodent droppings and urine.
The CDC continues to monitor both situations, emphasizing the importance of hygiene measures on cruise ships to prevent outbreaks of contagious diseases.
