A cruise ship traveling from Singapore to Los Angeles reported a norovirus outbreak, affecting 91 people aboard with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
Here’s what happened.
Norovirus Infects 91 People on a Cruise Ship That Departs from Singapore
The cruise ship, Coral Princess, had set sail from Singapore on 17 October for a month-long Pacific Ocean journey.
The cruise’s itinerary included stops in Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Hawaii before reaching Los Angeles on 17 November.
It all started from 9 November, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) got wind of the situation.
Out of the 1,822 passengers and 907 crew members on board, 69 passengers and 22 crew members fell ill during the voyage.
Lab tests later confirmed norovirus as the culprit behind the outbreak.
The ship docked in Los Angeles on 17 November, where all passengers and crew disembarked.
Princess Cruises immediately started prevention measures; it beefed up cleaning and disinfection protocols and collected stool samples from sick individuals for testing.
But it didn’t stay put for long. The same day it docked, the ship embarked on a 16-day journey to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
What is Norovirus?
Norovirus is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects the gastrointestinal system, often causing severe vomiting and diarrhea. The virus spreads rapidly through contaminated food or water, contact with infected surfaces, or close contact with someone who has the infection.
It’s particularly notorious for causing outbreaks in enclosed spaces like cruise ships, schools, nursing homes, and restaurants, earning it the nickname “stomach flu” or “winter vomiting bug,” though it’s not actually related to influenza.
The illness typically develops within 12 to 48 hours after exposure and, while extremely unpleasant, usually resolves on its own within 1-3 days in healthy individuals.
Treatment focuses on preventing dehydration through fluid replacement, as there is no specific medication to treat the virus itself.
Prevention is crucial and involves thorough hand washing with soap and water, as alcohol-based sanitizers are less effective against norovirus, proper food handling, and thorough cleaning of contaminated surfaces with bleach-based disinfectants.
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