Norovirus Is Rising on Cruise Ships: How to Stay Safe

Table Of Content

• What causes motion sickness—and how can you prevent it?
• Norovirus Clusters Known to Cause Stomach Flu Are Resistant to Environmental Stresses and UV Disinfection
• COVID, Bird Flu, Monkeypox – A Virologist Explains the Surge of Virus Outbreaks Around the World
• Cruise Ship Illness: Why Are Ships So Prone to Norovirus Outbreaks?
• Popular Searches
• How common is norovirus on cruise ships? Here’s why you shouldn’t worry

“The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority,” a spokesperson for Silversea Cruises told The Post in a statement. Nearly 30 people aboard a luxury cruise liner known for its phenomenal cuisine have fallen ill thanks to a gastrointestinal outbreak that swept through the ship. The cruise line “immediately activated their enhanced health and safety protocols to ensure the well being of all guests and crew on board and these measures have been effective,” the company said. While each virus has a different ability to transmit, norovirus is a highly transmissible infection. According to the CDC, each person who is infected with norovirus sheds billions of viral particles. Many of the symptoms last for just two or three days and while it may come on and leave quite quickly in comparison to other viruses, during the time the symptoms are present, it can be extremely uncomfortable.

What causes motion sickness—and how can you prevent it?

Norovirus Cases On Cruise Ships Skyrocket: Here’s Why—And How To Avoid Getting Sick - Forbes

Norovirus Cases On Cruise Ships Skyrocket: Here’s Why—And How To Avoid Getting Sick.

Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

A cruise ship's medical facility can treat only passengers experiencing minor health issues - seasickness, scrapes, sunburns, etc. More severe medical emergencies can't be handled on the ship and usually require medevacs. Coast guard helicopter teams fly to the ship, hoist the passenger (accompanied by a spouse/relative and a crew nurse) and fly them to the nearest land hospital.

Norovirus Clusters Known to Cause Stomach Flu Are Resistant to Environmental Stresses and UV Disinfection

The CDC says cruises account for some of the lowest case numbers in the U.S. annually. In a study of acute gastroenteritis cases from 2006 to 2019 (before the cruise industry's COVID-19 shutdown), the CDC found that the number of cases on ships decreased over those 14 years. It also noted that the number of cases tends to be higher on larger ships and on voyages of a week or longer. The allure of the open sea, captivating itineraries, and the luxurious promise of a carefree escape have long made cruising a popular choice for vacationers. However, this industry’s lustrous appeal has recently been overshadowed by a surge in outbreaks of a particularly stubborn and contagious pathogen — Norovirus.

COVID, Bird Flu, Monkeypox – A Virologist Explains the Surge of Virus Outbreaks Around the World

You can use the NORS Dashboard to learn about outbreak reports of foodborne, waterborne, and enteric (gastrointestinal) diseases spread by person-to-person contact, environmental contamination, animal contact, and more. Most outbreaks of norovirus illness happen when infected people spread the virus to others through direct contact, such as by caring for them or sharing food or eating utensils with them. Food, water, and surfaces contaminated with norovirus can also cause outbreaks. Though the number of news reports on cruise ship illnesses could make it seem like such outbreaks are on the rise, they're not any more prevalent than in the 1990s and 2000s. An excessive number of news reports exist for norovirus cases on ships, making it seem to the unsuspecting public that cruise vessels are dirty or you're likely to get sick if you sail.

In February 2020, the shipowner cruise company Lindblad Expeditions announced the "Premium Purity" program with a shipwide cleaning system based on ACT CleanCoat technology. 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. 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. The industrial-size servings of food on a cruise ship with hundreds of passengers can be particularly worrisome, since once the virus enters the food it can spread rapidly.

Zika virus (aka ZIKV) is a Flavivirus - from the genus of the viruses named West Nile, dengue, tick-borne encephalitis, yellow fever. These plus several other viruses may cause encephalitis (acute brain inflammation). In humans, Zika virus causes the Zika fever which is known to occur only within some equatorial regions. In 2014, Zika spread across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, and soon to Easter Island.

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. 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.

Though people often call it the “stomach flu,” it has nothing to do with flu, Brian Labus, PhD, MPH, REHS, an expert in infectious diseases, told Health. There are no internationally specified regulations governing ship infirmaries and medical staffing. Each company has its own standards provided for its passengers' healthcare.

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. VSP (abbrev "Vessel Sanitation Program") monitors CDC's observations on illness patterns for GI (gastrointestinal) outbreaks on passenger shipping vessels (ferries and cruise ships).

Norovirus outbreak leaves nearly 100 Celebrity cruise passengers sick - USA TODAY

Norovirus outbreak leaves nearly 100 Celebrity cruise passengers sick.

Posted: Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Our inner ear senses the ship's irregular motion, which our eyes can't see because the floor and walls are stable. Depending on individual balance, our ability to adjust to motions varies, so not everyone experiences seasickness. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more.

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 quell the spread of the stomach bug, Silversea Cruises reportedly quarantined its impacted passengers and crew member and “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures,” the CDC said. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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. VSP may also post information on gastrointestinal illness outbreaks of public health significance that do not necessarily meet the above criteria.

The UK Health Security Agency recently reported that norovirus cases are approximately 66% higher this season than the five-season average of the same period before COVID-19. While having the symptoms of norovirus can be uncomfortable, they tend to be very short-lived and something that many people recover from in just a few days with over-the-counter medications. Norovirus is a viral infection that is one of the most common types of gastroenteritis — a condition that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal upset.

In response to the outbreak, the crew of the Queen Victoria have “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures” and have “isolated ill passengers and crew,” the C.D.C. said. The Queen Victoria was on its way to Honolulu from San Francisco on a 107-night world cruise when more than 150 people on board reported symptoms, officials said. Mathis says older passengers and others traveling with family face a risk from others in their party. For example, if grandchildren aren’t careful hand-washers, they can easily infect their grandparents and others.