A soon General Assembly The cruise took an unfortunate turn when a norovirus outbreak sickened 152 guests and 25 crew members. The ship, operated by Popular Tourshe was on a trip to Bermuda and South Carolina where the virus spread rapidly among tourists.
Norovirus, often called the ‘stomach flu’ or ‘stomach bug,’ is a virus that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It is very difficult to control the cruise ships because of the close quarters, shared restaurants, and high number of passengers.
The CDC has praised the response of the crew and the ship’s crew, adding that they are following all written procedures.
Norovirus outbreak General Assembly
General Assembly contracted Norovirus on a cruise from May 15 to May 25, which sailed from New Jersey to Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard; King’s Wharf, Bermuda; and Charleston, South Carolina. 152 guests, about 7% of all guests on board, and 25 crew members, about 2.6% of all crew, fell ill.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated the incident, and identified the most common symptoms among those affected as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache.
The outbreak is one of 12 significant cases of gastrointestinal illness, five of which were confirmed to be Norovirus outbreaks, on international cruise ships reported by the CDC this year. Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Internationaland P&O Cruises everything happened in the boat this year.
This number is higher than in previous years, when 2022 saw four cases and 2021 only one, although the international suspension has played a major role in these low numbers.
In 2019, the year before the outbreak, there were ten incidents, following 11 in 2018 and 2017. CDC report demonstrated the prompt and effective response of the boat’s crew when guests became ill.
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In response to the Norovirus outbreak, the CDC has commended the excellent response from Celebrity Cruises, and its crew. General Assembly a ship.
They implemented cleaning and disinfection procedures following the ship’s explosion prevention and response strategy to limit the spread of the virus.
At the same time, the company informed the guests about the situation in the stadium, emphasizing the importance of reporting illnesses and practicing hand hygiene. They also collected stool samples from people who had diarrhea and sent them to a CDC laboratory for analysis.
Also read: Cruise Ship Sickness: How to Protect Yourself
Celebrity Cruises also provided the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) with twice-daily reports of gastrointestinal infections throughout the investigation. They will also discuss with the VSP their hygiene procedures and patient reporting system, to ensure they are following best practices.
Effects of Norovirus on Cruises
Norovirus is often referred to as the ‘ship virus’ because of the media coverage surrounding these incidents. Although the CDC reports that norovirus is the most common cause of outbreaks on cruise ships, accounting for 90%, it is important to note that norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships account for only a small percentage (1%) of all outbreaks.
When a cruise ship experiences a norovirus outbreak, the impact on guests, crew, and cruise lines can be significant.
A place to live nearby, shared dining facilities, and the large number of passengers on cruise ships make controlling the spread of norovirus difficult. The virus can be brought in through contaminated food or water or from infected people on the ground.
Apart from seriously disrupting the vacation experience of the affected guests, there are various consequences that cruises want to avoid at all costs. For example, it may result in the closure of certain areas of the ship, such as restaurants, bathrooms, and other areas, so that they can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
The journey alone can have serious consequences. This may include financial loss due to further cleaning, refunds or payments to affected guests, and damage to the company’s reputation. CDC may also require the vessel to return to the original port if the spread is sufficient.
Events like the one we’ve seen this year may also contribute to the idea that cruise ships are susceptible to disease. Therefore, cruises require a lot of preventive measures, including strict cleaning and hygiene measures, to reduce the risk of epidemics.
Although norovirus cases are sometimes reported on cruise ships, it is important to remember that these cases are rare compared to the number of cruises each year.
Thousands upon thousands of cruises travel every year, carrying millions of tourists, and only a few experience such epidemics. Despite what cyberbullies will tell you, strict health and safety regulations go a long way one of the safest vacation options available.
