The ship, operated by Princess Cruises, is scheduled to arrive this Monday, May 11, at Port Canaveral, Florida, where it will undergo a complete cleaning and disinfection before starting its next voyage.
Norovirus Outbreak on Caribbean Princess
A new norovirus outbreak has put the health spotlight on cruise ships. The CDC has reported that 102 passengers and 13 crew members of the Caribbean Princess have reported gastrointestinal symptoms during the voyage that began on April 28 and is scheduled until May 11. In total, 115 people are affected.
The ship carries 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members, so the reported cases represent 3.3% of the passengers and 1.2% of the crew. The predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, compatible with norovirus.
The route began in Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, and has included stops in Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Aruba, San Martin, Curacao, and Bonaire before its scheduled arrival at Port Canaveral, Florida.
How norovirus is spread
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis. It is easily transmitted through contact with an infected person, consumption of contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth.
That is why cruise ships are especially sensitive environments. Not because the virus is exclusive to ships, but because on a cruise ship thousands of people share dining rooms, bathrooms, hallways, elevators, activities, and common areas for several days.
The combination of confined spaces, high internal mobility, and frequent contact facilitates the rapid detection of a gastrointestinal outbreak and forces the activation of isolation and disinfection measures.
Norovirus Symptoms
The most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. Fever, headache, and general malaise may also appear.
In most cases, the illness lasts between one and three days, but it can be more delicate in older people, young children, pregnant women, or patients with previous illnesses, especially due to the risk of dehydration.
The main warning sign is not being able to retain fluids, experiencing intense dizziness, blood in the stool, persistent high fever, or symptoms of dehydration.
What Princess Cruises has done
Princess Cruises has confirmed that a limited number of people reported a mild gastrointestinal illness during the Caribbean Princess voyage.
The company assures that it quickly disinfected the areas of the ship and reinforced cleaning measures during the voyage. In addition, it has announced that when the ship arrives at Port Canaveral on May 11, it will undergo a complete cleaning and disinfection before departing again.
According to the CDC, the cruise line and the crew have also increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected stool samples for testing, isolated sick passengers and crew, and consulted with the Vessel Sanitation Program on cleaning and case notification protocols.
Why norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships are a concern
Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships generate a lot of attention because they affect many people in a short time and because they occur in a closed environment. However, norovirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and is not limited to the tourism sector.
The critical point is the speed of transmission. An infected person can contaminate surfaces or food, and the virus can spread if hygiene measures are not extremely strict.
That is why protocols on ships usually include isolation of the sick, reinforced cleaning, disinfection of common areas, food control, and medical monitoring of new cases.
What to do to avoid norovirus infection
Prevention depends above all on hygiene. Washing hands with soap and water is the most important measure, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after touching shared surfaces.
It is also advisable to avoid sharing cutlery, glasses, towels, or food with a sick person. If someone has vomiting or diarrhea, they should remain isolated, stay hydrated, and avoid handling food.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can help, but against norovirus, washing with soap and water is especially important because the virus can resist some common disinfectants better than other microorganisms.
Does it have relation to hantavirus?
No. This norovirus outbreak on the Caribbean Princess is not related to the hantavirus outbreak detected on the MV Hondius.
They are different viruses, with different transmission routes and different risks. Norovirus mainly causes gastroenteritis and is transmitted very easily between people and contaminated surfaces. Hantavirus is mainly associated with infected rodents, although the Andes strain can be infrequently transmitted between people in close contact.