More than 100 passengers and crew fall ill with highly contagious virus on cruise from San Francisco
Over 100 people have fallen unwell on a cruise ship bound for Canada, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed.
The Ruby Princess Cruise ship set sail from San Francisco on June 12, heading for Alaska and Canada in what was meant to be a fun voyage for all those on board.
However, just over two weeks into the journey, health officials received reports of a norovirus outbreak on the vessel.
A total of 102 passengers and 23 crew members reported symptoms, which the CDC defines as three percent or more of passengers.
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It confirmed that 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members initially boarded the boat.
The Ruby Princess ship returned to San Francisco on Thursday (July 2) to dock. The unwell passengers and crew were removed and are now isolating.
Princess told the Independent that 'a limited number of guests reported mild gastrointestinal illness' while on the ship.
They added in a statement: "Our crew responded promptly by implementing enhanced sanitation protocols across the ship, and cases have since decreased and remain low."
In response to the outbreak, the CDC said Princess Cruises 'collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing', isolated infected passengers on board, as well as consulted with health officials about 'sanitation cleaning procedures and reporting ill cases'.
The ship is currently undergoing 'comprehensive cleaning and disinfection' before it sets off for its next cruise, Princess added in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is 'remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship's outbreak response and sanitation procedures'.
UNILAD has reached out to Princess Cruises for comment.
What is norovirus?
Also known as the 'winter vomiting bug', the highly contagious virus causes acute gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach or intestines.
It's extremely contagious and can spread via close contact with infected people, touching contaminated surfaces, or consuming contaminated food/water.
As such, cruise ship can become a bit of a breeding ground for the virus, leading to instances like we've seen on this Princess Cruise.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
The majority of people with the virus start showing symptoms within 12-48 hours of exposure.
According to Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of norovirus include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain or cramps
- Watery or loose diarrhea
- Feeling ill
- Low-grade fever
- Muscle pain
As symptoms of the virus surface not long after exposure, it means most people require from norovirus pretty quickly.
They will typically last between for between one and three days, though you can continue to shed the virus in your stool for weeks after recovery.
Topics: Cruise ship, US News
Callum Jones