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Outbreaks happen mostly during winter months and mainly in more crowded places with close quarters. Among those are schools, hospitals, nursing homes, dormitories, prisons, big resorts, bigger passenger ships (including cruise ferries). 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.
Why are there so many cruise norovirus reports on the news?
About 13% of its passengers and several crew members became ill with the virus while on board. Norovirus cases aboard cruise ships were on a steady decline between 2006 and 2019, according to CDC data. When the Covid pandemic hit, the CDC made a travel health notice advising against cruise ship travel. Because of this, there were no norovirus outbreaks in 2020 and 2021.
C.D.C. Investigating Gastrointestinal Illness on Luxury Cruise Ship - The New York Times
C.D.C. Investigating Gastrointestinal Illness on Luxury Cruise Ship.
Posted: Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships surge to decade-high levels: How to avoid the stomach bug
The CDC's tally of norovirus outbreaks so far confirmed on cruise ships in 2023 is already higher than any annual outbreak tallies since 2012, when the health agency recorded 16 outbreaks. That’s the highest number of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships since 2012. 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.
How do you get this stomach bug?
Cruise lines have had to invest heavily in cleaning and sanitation protocols, disease detection methods, and passenger education to combat the threat of norovirus. In many instances, outbreaks have led to public relations challenges, decreased passenger satisfaction, and financial losses due to trip cancellations and medical costs. The recent surge in Norovirus outbreaks underscores the necessity of vigilance and proper understanding of this issue, both for those planning a dream vacation at sea and for those in the cruise industry itself.
In 2014, Zika spread across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, and soon to Easter Island. In 2015, Zika virus reached Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Some cruise lines offer hand-sanitizer dispensers near the ship's restaurants, Lido/pool deck areas and other more crowded public spaces in their effort to keep a lid on sickness outbreaks. Quarantining the ill passengers and crew to their cabins is mandatory (at least for 48 hours) to slow the outbreak's spread.
How to avoid Norovirus on cruise ships?
Usually, a pre-embarkation health advisory is distributed to all boarding passengers. Additional med staff is sent to the ship in port to assist the disembarkation of infected passengers. Another possibility is the cruise ship to cancel all the itinerary's foreign ports of call and to return to its US home-port before the end of the voyage. VSP (abbrev "Vessel Sanitation Program") monitors CDC's observations on illness patterns for GI (gastrointestinal) outbreaks on passenger shipping vessels (ferries and cruise ships). Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explained to The Wall Street Journal that norovirus is highly contagious and thrives in the enclosed environment of a cruise ship. Buffet service often switches from "help yourself" to manned stations.
In 2015, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 23. The total number of infected was 2570 (of those 2458 passengers and 112 crew). In 2016, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 23. The total number of infected was 2504 (of those 2378 passengers and 126 crew). In 2017, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 21. The total number of infected was 2535 (of those 2450 passengers and 85 crew).
Yes, Cruise Ships Have Strategies to Prevent Outbreaks
Nearly 30 Silversea cruise passengers get sick in gastrointestinal illness outbreak - USA TODAY
Nearly 30 Silversea cruise passengers get sick in gastrointestinal illness outbreak.
Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:24:45 GMT [source]
Throw in the whole idea of “revenge travel” with people scrambling to catch up on travel delayed by the pandemic, and you’ve got a bunch of set ups for norovirus outbreaks. Thirteen ships so far this year have reported outbreaks of the highly contagious stomach bug, the most since 2012, according to the U.S. Nearly 1,700 passengers have come down with the virus, which causes vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and stomach pain.
Is norovirus common on cruise ships?
In 2018, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 15. The total number of infected was 1177 (of those 1099 passengers and 78 crew). Most recently, a norovirus outbreak in June on the Viking Neptune sickened 110 passengers (over 13% of the ship's guests) and nine crew members with vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, according to the CDC.
We'll be in your inbox every morning Monday-Saturday with all the day’s top business news, inspiring stories, best advice and exclusive reporting from Entrepreneur. Cruise Critic members advise packing extra soap, a supply of Lysol and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol (just in case). Stick to bottled water, and don't share drinking glasses and eating utensils. Norovirus is very contagious, but you can take steps to stop it from spreading. Symptoms usually last one to three days and most people recover, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to the CDC, your likelihood of getting a norovirus infection is also determined in part by your genes.
All major cruise line companies will do their best to keep quiet about virus outbreaks on their ships. There are passenger testimonials about quarantined ships and how badly guests have been treated by the line. Virus outbreak news speaks of a lack of proper hygiene control, badly trained staff, bad ship management. The whole responsibility goes to the shipowner (cruise line company) and its management. Cruise ships publish daily health and safety instructions to their passengers on how to avoid mosquito bites.
Moreover, the cruise industry often finds itself under scrutiny following an outbreak, which can affect the public’s perception and willingness to book cruises, ultimately impacting the industry’s bottom line. Mathis says it might even make sense for passengers to avoid the buffet and dine only at their ship’s sit-down restaurants. While current data suggests we are currently within the seasonal range, the CDC reports that this is an increase compared to the past years. Norovirus infects between 19 million and 21 million Americans annually, the CDC reports.
The exact cause for the increase in the number of norovirus cases is not clear, but the increasing demand for cruises could be one explanation for the rise in reported cases, said Labus. As the world emerges from the pandemic, the cruise industry is experiencing a resurgence in demand. While last summer's departures offered generous elbow room for passengers, this year tells a different story. Cruise lines reported occupancy levels surpassing 100% in the first quarter of 2023, indicating a significant rebound. It's important to wash your hands with soap and clean water frequently, but especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers, before eating and before touching your face. “Norovirus is one of the few viruses that doesn’t get deactivated by alcohol.
VSP may also post information on gastrointestinal illness outbreaks of public health significance that do not necessarily meet the above criteria. Infected passengers who don't wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or using the restroom are the reason those surfaces become contaminated in the first place. Find out why norovirus is unfairly labeled a cruise ship illness, what cruise lines do to minimize onboard spread and whether you should be worried about it on your next voyage. To prevent norovirus transmission, the CDC recommends that individuals prioritize thorough hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before eating or handling food. The agency also cautions that hand sanitizer "does not work well against norovirus."
This protocol only confirms that the CDC knows everything about it. In the following table, you can see all 2019-reported Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships. It shows the number of sick passengers and crew (with the respective percentage to all), along with the corresponding CDC report pages (if available) as outgoing links. Among 410 reported cases during November 2022–January 2023 (voyages 1–5), 356 (87%) occurred in passengers and 54 (13%) in crew members.
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