Norovirus outbreak: Cruise ship norovirus cases hit 150 in April

Few things are worse than falling violently ill during a holiday, but being stuck on a boat during that sickness is probably one of them.

This was the fate of more than 150 travellers in April, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which revealed dozens of people were struck with norovirus on cruise ships during April.

The US agency revealed more than 150 travellers succumbed to the stomach bug during two large-scale outbreaks on cruise ships.

One outbreak occurred on board the Sapphire Princess during a month-long trip. After departing Los Angeles on April 5 with 2532 passengers, the ship made its way around Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. However, 94 passengers and 20 crew members participated in a cruise activity they didn’t sign up for — norovirus, which had some reporting violent vomiting and diarrhoea.

About the same time, Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas also endured its own dose of norovirus after it departed Tampa, Florida, on April 8 for a trip around South America. The virus reportedly took down 67 passengers and two crew members.

In both cases, unwell passengers and crew were isolated, the CDC stated, and implemented “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures”.

Princess Cruises admitted a “small number of cases of mild gastrointestinal illness among passengers” Daily Mail reported. It said the cause was probably norovirus and when the medical centre received an uptick in complaints of gastrointestinal illness, the ship “immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitisation procedures”.

There have been six reported outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships in the US this year, CDC reported.

One of these involved 154 cases on a single ship, the Cunard Cruise liner Queen Victoria. The ship was on a 107-night voyage around the world that departed the UK on January 11. About 7 per cent of the ship’s 1824 passengers were affected.

What is norovirus?

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines known as gastroenteritis.

Transmitted through faecally infected food or water, person-to-person contact and surface contact, it’s typically the cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks, especially in environments with lots of people such as schools, hospitals and, as evidenced, cruise ships.

Unfortunately, there is no quick cure other than treating symptoms — nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever and headache — until they pass. Symptoms often develop 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus and last one to three days.

Why is norovirus common on cruise ships?

While the April outbreaks affected only about 3 per cent of cruise ship passengers, certain conditions can make cruise ships more susceptible to the spread of the virus.

In particular, large numbers of people are kept in close quarters and share facilities such as dining areas and toilets, where the virus can spread through contaminated surfaces, water or food. Plus, unlike a hotel or plane, people share these facilities for days, weeks or even months at a time.

How can I avoid norovirus on a cruise ship?

The three keys to minimising the risk of catching norovirus are tied to the three ways it spreads — food, water and contact with contaminated surfaces or people.

Those determined to minimise risk as much as possible will steer clear of buffets or shared-food situations such as canape platters, always drink clean water, and rethink the shared pools.

Good hygiene practices are also essential, so thoroughly wash your hands after using a toilet or before touching your face or eating. Plus, if someone complains of an upset stomach or has recently been unwell, it’s time to dust off those social-distancing skills.