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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships so far in 2023. The last time the industry's yearly gastrointestinal illness outbreak total was that high was back in 2016 — and it's only July. After a lull during the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of the highly contagious virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting, aka stomach flu, spiked this winter and spring on land. As post-pandemic travel surges and millions of Americans return to cruise ships, an increasing number of cruise lines are reporting outbreaks at sea. For the agency to report a cruise-ship outbreak, 3% or more of passengers or crew members must report symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, such as vomiting and diarrhea, to the ship's medical staff. Among 410 reported cases during November 2022–January 2023 (voyages 1–5), 356 (87%) occurred in passengers and 54 (13%) in crew members.
CDC cruise ship Norovirus reports
The virus spreads easily and is typically contracted when someone accidentally ingests tiny particles of vomit or feces from someone who is infected with it. The CDC writes that people who are infected "can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can't see without a microscope," and exposure to just a few norovirus particles can make someone sick. People also are more likely to get sick now since pandemic restrictions have been lifted. For the past few years, people have not been exposed to as many common viruses and illnesses and now that exposure is rising, illnesses are bound to rise as well. “We believe the gastrointestinal illness originated from a shoreside restaurant in Iceland where a group of guests dined during their free time,” the cruise line said in a statement. After docking in New York, the ship was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and continued its scheduled sailings.
How to avoid norovirus on a cruise
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. The crew serves with short-term (2 weeks to 2 years) and long-term (min 2 years) contracts. Volunteer crew members occupy both medical (surgeons, dentists, nurses) and general jobs (deckhands, seamen, engineers, machinists, electricians, teachers, cooks, welders, plumbers, agriculturalists. The most severe outbreaks were reported in Brazil, with an alarming surge in newborns with microcephaly. If the mother is infected, the virus may cause microcephaly in newborns.
Norovirus Cases On Cruise Ships Skyrocket: Here’s Why—And How To Avoid Getting Sick
However, Norovirus has been known to close schools, attack college dormitories and even infect a Hollywood Academy Awards party. Norovirus is often referred to as a "stomach bug" or "stomach flu" (although it is not a form of flu). It causes a variety of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. People infected with the virus may also have headaches, fevers and body aches, and are at risk of dehydration. This presents an opportunity for the virus to spread if food or water becomes contaminated, either by an infected person or through improper handling and storage.
The CDC estimates only about 1% of all annual U.S. norovirus cases happen on cruise ships. The numbers are greatest in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and restaurants, which collectively account for about 91% of cases. They ask passengers who feel ill during their cruises to report symptoms to the medical center and keep themselves isolated in their cabins. In light of these recent developments, it’s imperative to explore and understand the nature of Norovirus — what it is, why it’s a recurring issue aboard cruise ships, and its impact on the cruise industry. This article aims to shed light on these matters, unpacking the complexities of the problem, and highlighting the steps that are being taken to address it. In the past 10 years, only three other cruise ships have received sanitation scores below 70, CDC records show.
Bad, if meant to happen, will happen anyway, and nothing can change it. The cruise terminal and the near area were thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. If you have booked excursions independently, you may be able to cancel them if you give 24 hours’ notice.
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 CDC's latest report of a norovirus outbreak happened on Viking Neptune, a cruise ship owned by Switzerland-based Viking Cruises, during a voyage from June 6 to June 20.
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What is norovirus and how do you treat it? What to know about the ‘cruise ship virus’.
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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. However, in March 2022 the agency dropped the health notice, though it strongly urged against cruising without a booster shot. Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years. Since January 2023, there have been 13 confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction — that's more outbreaks in six months than there have been during any full year since 2012, according to data from the U.S.
100 People Fall Ill With Norovirus Aboard Cruise Ship - TravelPulse
100 People Fall Ill With Norovirus Aboard Cruise Ship.
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The virus also spreads fecally, so you can catch it into the onboard laundry, or while changing diapers, etc. However, many passengers likely can blame a sick crewmember for the virus. According to a survey based on 170 inspection records on ships that docked in Florida ports in 2012, on 59 cruises violations of the required illness reporting laws were reported.
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. While there have been 13 outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships this year, Labus explained that not every cruise passenger is going to be exposed to the virus. Still, taking certain steps to prevent the likelihood of getting sick is never a bad idea. That’s the highest number of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships since 2012.
It’s also important to note that norovirus cruise ship statistics from the CDC only relate to cruises that call at US ports. So cruises to Europe and elsewhere in the world won’t be included in these reports. Royal Caribbean offered a full refund to passengers on an Oasis of the Seas sailing that returned to its homeport early due to a Norovirus outbreak onboard.
Failing to comply with the crew's orders results in fines or even discharge from the ship. This has resulted in norovirus being incorrectly called ‘the cruise ship disease’ or the ‘cruise ship illness’. Your travel insurance will not cover cancellations due to the fear of illness, but it will cover you if you cancel because you got sick before you went or are stricken onboard. Specifically, it could also pick up medical expenses and/or compensate you for days you missed if you left the ship before the end of the cruise. Since policies vary between travel insurers, read the fine print before you go. In serious cases where outbreaks cannot be contained, cruise lines might actually pull a ship out of service for a few days so it can undergo a more thorough sanitization.
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