More than 100 people on a cruise ship have been sickened with norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that can cause vomiting so severe that sufferers are left with cracked ribs.
Some 102 passengers and 13 crew members were reported sick so far on board the Caribbean Princess, the CDC said.
The ship, run by Princess Cruises, set off on April 28 and is currently in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, headed toward Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. It is scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral, Florida, on May 11.
There are a total of 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members on board.
The outbreak was reported to the CDC on May 7 and the predominant symptoms, according to the health agency, were diarrhea and vomiting.
Princess Cruises and the crew have increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected stool specimens from sick passengers for testing, isolated sick crew and passengers and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
The company said: ‘We quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing throughout the voyage. Upon arrival to Port Canaveral on May 11, Caribbean Princess will undergo comprehensive cleaning and disinfection before departing for her next voyage.’
This is the fourth outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness on board a US cruise ship this year, according to the CDC, and comes as an international vessel, MV Hondius, is battling an outbreak of deadly hantavirus.
Pictured above is Princess Cruises’s Caribbean Princess ship arriving in Panama in 2020. More than 100 people on board the ship this week have contracted norovirus
An outbreak from January and February was linked to E.coli; an outbreak in March was also norovirus; and a third outbreak in April was linked to E.coli again.
Norovirus infects around 21 million Americans annually and sends around two million to their doctors’ offices or urgent care.
It causes severe diarrhea and vomiting, which can lead to life-threatening dehydration. It spreads through contact with germs from an infected person’s vomit or feces, contaminated food, shared utensils, or surfaces they’ve touched.
While most people recover within a few days, the virus kills around 900 people every year, mostly adults 65 and up.
Outbreaks are most common in the winter due to a jump in the number of people gathering in groups for holiday festivities, traveling, and staying warm indoors, where pathogens can spread easily.
It is also common in crowded communal spaces such as cruise ships.
Symptoms of norovirus, which include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, typically develop within 12 to 48 hours of exposure.
Dehydration is a major concern. Frequent vomiting and diarrhea can quickly cause the body to lose fluids and electrolytes, which can lead to dangerously low blood pressure, reduced blood flow to vital organs, and an electrolyte imbalance that may harm the heart and muscles.
Electrolyte imbalances can also result in seizures and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.
Hand sanitizers alone cannot kill virus particles on the skin, which is why doctors strongly recommend washing one’s hands often.
