Hundreds Sickened in Norovirus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships in December: CDC

Of the three vessels experiencing outbreaks this month, a Princess Cruises vessel reported the highest number of sickened passengers.

A Holland America Line cruise ship in an undated file photo. Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP

Three cruise ships have been hit with norovirus outbreaks this month, with one ship reporting more than 100 passengers falling ill, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been 11 reported norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year, but this is the first time the virus has been confirmed on three ships within a single month. Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States, according to the CDC’s website.

Of the three ships, a Princess Cruises vessel reported the highest number of sickened passengers, with 103 out of 3,001 passengers and 12 out of 1,142 crew members falling ill, according to the CDC.

The Ruby Princess ship departed San Francisco for a round-trip to Hawaii on Dec. 2 and returned on Dec. 18. The liner responded to the outbreak by increasing disinfection and isolating sick passengers and crew members.

The Princess Cruises line also collected stool specimens for testing and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program about sanitation cleaning procedures, the agency stated.

The two other cruise ships hit with norovirus outbreaks this month were Rotterdam and Zuiderdam, both from the Holland America cruise liner.

The CDC stated that 83 of the 2,192 passengers aboard the Rotterdam ship were sickened. It departed from Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 8 and returned on Dec. 20. Twelve crew members out of 953 also fell sick.

On the Zuiderdam ship that set sail on Dec. 4, 87 passengers out of about 1,923 guests reported being sick. The CDC stated that four of the 757 crew members were also sickened.

The Holland America liner isolated sick passengers and crew members and intensified cleaning and disinfection procedures as part of measures to contain the outbreak. It also gathered stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing, according to the CDC.

The Epoch Times reached out to both Princess Cruises and Holland America for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that can be spread through direct contact with infected persons or contaminated food and objects, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

The virus causes 19 million to 21 million cases of vomiting and diarrhea every year in the United States, leading to 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths, primarily among adults aged 65 years and older, the NFID stated.

Norovirus is also linked to more than 495,000 emergency department visits, mostly in younger children, according to the agency. The NFID stated that a person can become infected by the virus more than once in his or her lifetime, with symptoms typically appearing suddenly.

Norovirus outbreaks often occur in health care facilities, long-term care facilities, restaurants, child care centers, schools, and cruise ships. In addition to vomiting and diarrhea, infected persons can experience symptoms such as stomach cramps and nausea.

“People infected with norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to at least 3 days after recovery. Some people may be contagious for as long as 2 weeks after recovery,” the NFID stated.

The NFID recommends several steps to prevent contracting norovirus, including washing hands with soap before handling food, washing fruits and vegetables before consumption, and cooking oysters and other shellfish before eating them.

So far in 2024, the CDC has recorded 14 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruises, 11 of which were caused by norovirus. One outbreak was caused by salmonella, another by E. coli, and one was listed as “unknown,” according to the agency.

Last year, the CDC reported 14 outbreaks on cruise ships, and norovirus was listed as the causative agent in all but one of the incidents.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.