This year has seen the worst outbreak of gastroenteritis on cruise ships docked in the United States in more than a decade. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With one day left, 2024 marks the highest number of stomach virus infections on cruise ships since 2012, with the total for both years tied at 16. Last year there were 14 outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases.
Even in December alone, CDC reported Five separate outbreaks occurred on four different ships, sickening more than 800 people. All of these outbreaks were caused by the highly contagious norovirus, which is causing increasing numbers of cases across the United States.
The latest epidemic is the worst this year.
Approximately 400 people on board have become infected due to an outbreak on board the Queen Mary 2, a cruise ship owned by Cunard Cruise Company that set sail on December 21st and is still underway. According to the latest data from the CDC, 326 of the 2,565 passengers (12%) and 65 of the 1,233 crew members (5%) contracted nasty gastroenteritis.
The norovirus is believed to have remained on board the Queen Mary 2 via contaminated surfaces or infected crew members when passengers from its last voyage disembarked from the cruise ship.
The previous outbreak, which occurred on the same ship during a voyage between Dec. 14 and Dec. 21, affected 138 of 2,430 passengers (5%) and 12 of 1,237 crew members (1%), according to the data. has developed.
Of the 16 outbreaks in 2024, all but three were caused by norovirus. One outbreak in March was caused by E. coli, one in September was caused by salmonella, and the cause of the third outbreak remains unknown, the CDC said.
Cunard Line said it has instituted enhanced health protocols in response to the outbreak, including additional deep cleaning and close monitoring of unwell passengers and crew by onboard medical staff.
Symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, which usually lasts one to three days.
However, the virus is often still contagious up to two weeks after symptoms appear.
The CDC says it can spread “very easily and quickly” through direct contact, ingesting contaminated food or drink, and touching contaminated surfaces.
Frequent and thorough hand washing, especially before eating and after using the restroom, is key to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces as well as keeping bugs at bay.
Cruise lines follow specific CDC-approved guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting their ships and are required to report to the CDC any outbreaks of infectious disease affecting more than 3% of passengers and crew. .
Cruise ships aren't the only places where norovirus spreads rapidly. An average of 2,500 outbreaks of the nasty stomach virus are reported each year across the United States, and cases are currently surging in some parts of the country.
Norovirus costs an estimated $60 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity each year worldwide, and approximately $2 billion in the United States. According to the CDC.
