NewsDesk @bactiman63
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) reported on the thirteenth norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship this year this week.
The latest outbreak affected the June 6–June 20, 2023 Viking Cruises Viking Neptune voyage.
Officials reported 110 of 838 (13.1%) passengers and 9 of 455 (1.98%) crew were afflicted with symptoms abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. VSP says norovirus was identified as the causative agent.
There have been 13 cruise ship outbreaks investigated by VSP this year to date, all were due to norovirus.
Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that often goes by other names, such as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning.
The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. In most people, the illness is self-limiting with symptoms lasting for about 1 or 2 days. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults do.
Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.
The CDC VSP conducts investigations if 3.0% of the ship’s passengers or crew members have GI illness, OR if an unusual GI illness pattern or characteristic is found (even if the illness rate is less than 3%).
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