Norovirus Cruise Ship

So lets take a closer look.

Norovirus cruise ship. About 1 in 5 cases of acute gastroenteritis which leads to diarrhea and vomiting is caused by norovirus. Norovirus outbreaks can occur on cruise ships when people bring the virus on to the ship and pass it on to others. Worldwide norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis.

What You Should Know about Norovirus. It spreads in locations where people are congregated into enclosed spaces nursing homes hospitals daycares and schools hotels dormitoriesand yes cruise ships. Once exposed infected people are initially asymptomatic even though they are contagious.

Cruise ship staff send this report any time the ship is in the United States or within 15 days of arriving at a US. When 2 or more of the passengers or crew have gastrointestinal illness. The percentage of risk is quite small.

Little is known about the behaviors and practices of people who have become ill with norovirus GI illness compared to those who remained well during an outbreak. In April 2014 over 100 passengers on a week-long Crown Princess cruise had their vacation dampened by illness. CDC investigators traced the source of 10 cruise ship outbreaks back to a smoothie made with frozen raspberries.

Incorrectly Called the Cruise Ship Disease. Incidents of norovirus or other gastrointestinal GI disease are quite rare on cruise ships. Norovirus outbreaks are prevalent in long-term care and other health-care facilities restaurants and catered events schools and institutional settings as well as cruise ships and other transportation settings Hall et al 2011.

This means if it carries 13 passengers and has a foreign cruise itinerary with US ports of call in it. CDC cruise ship Norovirus reports. Cruise ship staff send this report between 24 and 36 hours before the ship arrives at a US.