What is norovirus and how do you treat it? What to know about the cruise ship virus

Table Of Content

• Environments Where Norovirus Spreads Quickly
• Surge at Sea: Alarming Increase of Norovirus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships
• Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships surge to decade-high levels: How to avoid the stomach bug
• Seasickness on cruise ships
• Why are there so many cruise norovirus reports on the news?
• The Looming Marburg Crisis: How Virus Outbreaks Escalate and Spread

Vessel captains may request assistance from CDC to evaluate or control ARI outbreaks as needed. If the ship will not be arriving imminently at a U.S. seaport, CDC maritime staff will provide guidance to cruise ship officials regarding management and isolation of infected people and recommendations for other passengers and crew members. The CDC's "Vessel Sanitation Program" is for monitoring illness outbreaks on passenger ships carrying 100 or more guests on sailings from 3 to 21 days in length. This is done 24 hrs prior to arrival at any US port of call from a foreign port.

Environments Where Norovirus Spreads Quickly

▪ Sometimes known as the “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” noroviruses are a very contagious virus that often causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain. However, the virus is not related to the flu, which is caused by influenza. The bug thrives in crowded conditions and is spread through food and by touching contaminated surfaces. The easiest way to avoid the ailment is to wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, before eating and after touching surfaces touched by others.

Surge at Sea: Alarming Increase of Norovirus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships

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). 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).

Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships surge to decade-high levels: How to avoid the stomach bug

The illness lasts 1 to 4 days, but some people (especially elderly) may be contagious for up to 2 weeks after recovery. A norovirus outbreak can cause significant disruption to the planned activities and itineraries of a cruise. Infected individuals must be isolated, common areas may need to be closed for cleaning, and in severe cases, the ship may even have to return to port.

Nearly 30 Silversea cruise passengers get sick in gastrointestinal illness outbreak

Severe cases usually involve dehydration due to loss fluid—death is rarely ever a result. What causes Norovirus on cruise vessels is mainly contaminated food/water. When it comes to ships, it spreads mostly through physical contact with sick people or handling contaminated objects. This includes sharing food/utensils and poor hygiene (not washing hands after bathroom use). The virus also spreads fecally, so you can catch it into the onboard laundry, or while changing diapers, etc.

Norovirus is typically spread by ingesting small particles of fecal matter, eating contaminated food, touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then touching the mouth or eyes, or having direct contact with an infected person. An infected person is the most contagious when symptoms are present and within the first few days of feeling better. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, muscle aches, low-grade fever and headache. These symptoms usually appear between one to two days after contracting the virus but can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure. Cases typically last between 24 and 48 hours, though the illness may be more severe in young children and older adults, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

What is norovirus and how do you treat it? What to know about the ‘cruise ship virus’

Norovirus withstands chlorine, prolonged exposure outside the body, as well as temperature extremes. Like a virus, Norwalk can't be effectively treated with antibiotics, making it extremely difficult to eliminate in closed environments - like cruise vessels. 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.

Cruise ship illness 2024: Illness outbreak spreads on Cunard Cruise Line's Queen Victoria cruise ship, leaving 154 sick - WLS-TV

Cruise ship illness 2024: Illness outbreak spreads on Cunard Cruise Line's Queen Victoria cruise ship, leaving 154 sick.

Posted: Sat, 10 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Cruise experts say several factors may be contributing to the rise in cases. For one, cruising has soared this year, with the number of passengers expected to surpass the total that sailed in 2019, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. VSP inspectors board ships and conduct thorough checks to ensure compliance, and the standards are high. You can find a list of the most recent inspection scores and lists of violations for each ship on the VSP website. [2] Confirmed influenza means laboratory confirmation for influenza A or B by viral test. 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.

The Looming Marburg Crisis: How Virus Outbreaks Escalate and Spread

Mathis says it might even make sense for passengers to avoid the buffet and dine only at their ship’s sit-down restaurants. Kosciolek says she has made it a practice to wash her hands before going to the buffet, and then washing them again before she eats, since buffet implements aren’t sanitized after each passenger touches them. Based on the math, you have less chance of catching a gastrointestinal illness on a ship than at many places you're likely to visit on land. For more information, read updated resources for clinicians and guidance on the medical evaluation and management of people with COVID-19, influenza, or RSV are available on CDC’s websites. [4] Back-to-back sailing refers to passengers who stay on board for two or more voyages.

About 13% of its passengers and several crew members became ill with the virus while on board. Specifically, the medical staff from each cruise ship must submit a report with the number of ill passengers within 24 to 36 hours of its arrival at a U.S. port from a foreign port, even when no cases of gastrointestinal illness are present. They must also submit reports if 2% or more of the passengers and crew become ill and the ship is scheduled to visit a U.S. port within 15 days. If the number hits 3% or more, cases must be reported to the CDC even if the ship is not scheduled to call on a U.S. port within the next 15 days. Two days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans to avoid travel on cruise ships, regardless of their vaccination status.

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. Find more information about gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on land and at sea. There's nothing like a stomach virus to ruin your vacation, as hundreds of cruise ship passengers have unfortunately learned this year. As part of the program, ships are required to adhere to stringent health and safety protocols that dictate everything from the cleaning of high-touch areas to how food is stored in freezers, refrigerators and galleys. On ships where outbreaks occur, the crew conducts a deep cleaning of the ship after passengers have disembarked and before the next sailing begins. In cases where outbreaks are particularly severe, subsequent sailings could be canceled to allow for more thorough sanitization.

Each company has its own standards provided for its passengers' healthcare. Shipboard hospitals as facilities and equipment vary by cruise line and vessel. Clinic's size usually depends on the ship's capacity (passengers plus crew). Generally, bigger and newer ships offer larger and better-equipped medical facilities and are served by bigger infirmary staff. If seasickness symptoms are accompanied by diarrhea or fever, passengers should immediately seek medical treatment for Norovirus and avoid spreading the illness to others. So it comes as no surprise that when CDC reports an illness outbreak on some vessel, big media sources do not immediately (or ever) respond to the news.

Not only do they inspect a cruise ship’s medical center, but they also monitor their portable water systems, dining rooms, housekeeping procedures, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and more. In May, two outbreaks were reported on voyages led by Celebrity Cruises and Holland America. In March, Celebrity Cruises reported two norovirus outbreaks, as did Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises reported its first outbreak of the year in February, and Royal Caribbean International reported two the previous month.

P&O Cruises also reported an outbreak on its Arcadia cruise ship this year. Hand hygiene is key to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus — but the way you clean your hands matters, experts note. It has to be with soap and water, because alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against norovirus. The most common symptoms of norovirus are vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain, Dr. Albert Ko, infectious disease physician and professor of public health, epidemiology and medicine at Yale School of Public Health, tells TODAY.com.