How to Avoid Getting Norovirus on Cruise Ships

Table Of Content

• 3% public health inspection scores
• Horror Outbreak on Cruise Ship Leaves Over 150 Passengers Sick With Virus
• What is cruise ship norovirus?
• What is norovirus and how do you treat it? What to know about the ‘cruise ship virus’
• Hotel Reward Programs
• Why is Norovirus a problem on Cruise Ships?
• Using a Smartphone to Detect Norovirus (Winter Vomiting Bug)

It is worth noting the CDC outbreaks page does list Celebrity Constellation as having an outbreak in January 2024. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Crew on the ship cleaned more frequently and used disinfection procedures once the outbreak began, the CDC said. The ship project started in March 1999 with the vessel's acquisition through a donation from Balcraig Foundation (UK), which purchased the boat for US$6,5 million. Search for medical assistance - consult the ship's physician if no actions provide relief.

3% public health inspection scores

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. The virus is commonly spread through direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water, or touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. One of the main challenges in containing norovirus is its ability to survive on various surfaces for a significant amount of time, making it easy to pick up unknowingly. Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the “winter vomiting bug,” is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. 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.

Horror Outbreak on Cruise Ship Leaves Over 150 Passengers Sick With Virus

Key times for handwashing include after using the restroom or changing diapers, and before eating, preparing food, or handling medicine. Even before this new initiative was put into place, the CDC acknowledges that risks are quite low on cruise ships compared to your chances of catching it elsewhere on land. In short, the math points to it being an unlikely scenario for you to encounter. All cruise ships participate in the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, which has been in place since the 1970s to conduct random, unannounced inspections of ships if they wish to visit a port in the United States. Another big step Royal Caribbean Group made in improving the health of guests and crew members on its ships was to invest more in its public health inspection program. According to the report, after the eradication campaign was implemented in June 2023, there was not a single norovirus outbreak onboard any Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruise ship for the remainder of 2023.

What is cruise ship norovirus?

The virus can survive for days on surfaces and is resistant to many common disinfectants, making it challenging to eliminate once an outbreak has occurred. The design and operation of cruise ships often involve large groups of people living in close proximity, sharing dining areas, entertainment spaces, and public restrooms. This makes it easy for norovirus to spread rapidly from person to person. Two days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans to avoid travel on cruise ships, regardless of their vaccination status. The advisory, the agency’s highest coronavirus warning, came in response to a surge in cases in recent weeks, caused by the spread of the contagious Omicron variant.

From COVID to gastro, why are cruise ships such hotbeds of infection? - The Conversation

From COVID to gastro, why are cruise ships such hotbeds of infection?.

Posted: Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Obviously, the first thing is to go to the ship's infirmary (medical center) and contact the doctor. You should drink plenty of water as dehydration is a side-effect of the illness. A few years ago an experimental Norovirus vaccine (applied as nasal spray) was developed by the "Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology" (Arizona State University).

Hotel Reward Programs

The innovative ship cleaning process is based on photocatalytic antibacterial spray that when activated by light kills viruses, bacteria, airborne microbes, mould. The disinfecting product and technology were developed by the Danish company ACT Global AS (Copenhagen). The spray is chemical-free, odourless, transparent and can be applied to all surfaces. Numerous studies confirm that a quick application of hand sanitizer doesn't kill the Norovirus. It takes about 30 sec of hard rubbing with hot water and soap (including under the nails) to wash it. During the onboard illness outbreak, VSP requires the cruise company to activate the "Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan" (vessel's response to illness cases).

Cases Rise, Criticism Mounts, but Ships Keep Cruising

▪ The federal health agency says that the virus, on average, causes 19 to 21 million illnesses in the U.S. each year. While most people recover, the virus does cause about 900 deaths a year, mostly in adults 65 and older. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

Why is Norovirus a problem on Cruise Ships?

Norovirus can spread year-round, but it tends to have a wintertime seasonality and peak during the colder months. Outbreaks are most common between November and April, TODAY.com previously reported. It operates hospital ships since 1978 and also has currently the world's largest hospital ship (excluding navy vessels) - MV Africa Mercy. On most vessels, the medical facilities are located midship on a lower deck (for easier access and better stability) and usually among other crew facilities. Every passenger stateroom has the Infirmary's number - posted or by the cabin's phone.

Health officials say norovirus is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea as well as the most common type of foodborne illness. For passengers with health concerns, medical care on cruise ships is a vital part of their travel planning. Most cruise vessels are equipped with either basic infirmary (a small clinic) or larger hospital where sick or injured passengers are treated and cared for by contractor physicians and nurses on 24-hour duty.

The following "health advisory" list of recommended actions is often issued during gastrointestinal illness outbreak or on embarkation day (of the next scheduled voyage). It has important suggestions on how to avoid spreading the cruise ship virus infection. There have been 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships since the start of the year, the most outbreaks the U.S. has witnessed since 2012, and more than there were in all of 2022. Royal Caribbean International's 'Oasis of the Seas' cruise ship is seen at Port Canaveral, Florida ...

Norovirus is often branded as "cruise ship virus" simply because on ships health officials are required to report every gastrointestinal illness incident. This means Norovirus outbreaks are reported more quickly on ships than on land. Just for comparison, the virus can afflict as many as 3000 people per day in only one big city, which is about the passenger capacity of a typical modern cruiser.

Health officials at the CDC determined that norovirus caused the outbreak after Viking Cruises collected and sent specimens to the agency's laboratory for testing. That’s how many people have been infected with the norovirus while aboard cruise ships this year, according to CDC data. The outbreaks happened on Celebrity Cruises, Viking Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and P&O Cruises.

Purchasing cruise travel insurance with health coverage (medical clauses) is highly recommended. Passengers sensitive to nausea or motion sickness should consult their doctors for medical recommendations prior to departure. At the cruise ship's Infirmary, and also at Reception Desk is provided (free of charge) Meclizine. Also, motion in midship-located areas (including staterooms) is highly reduced in comparison to forward and aft areas. ▪ Sometimes known as the “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” noroviruses are a very contagious virus that often causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain.