For the third time since Dec. 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is investigating a norovirus outbreak onboard the Oceania Cruises vessel, Oceania Riviera.
The latest voyage, which began on Mar. 20, has reported 52 passengers ill with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. Specimens have been collected, tested onboard and found to be positive for norovirus. The specimens will be sent to CDC for additional testing.
No crew have been affected to date. The voyage is slated to end on Apr. 3.
Norovirus outbreaks have been reported and investigated on the Oceania Riviera last fall when 86 passengers and crew were sickened, and more recently, last month when 127 total people were stricken with the gastrointestinal virus.
In response to the outbreak, Oceania Cruises and the crew aboard the ship reported the following actions: Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan, Collecting stool specimens from passenger and crew gastrointestinal illness cases for testing, and Making multiple daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP.
Related:
March 20th 2016,36 hrs after boarding the Rivera(Oceania cruise) we were ill along with 100 other passengers. We were quarantined. When we were well we were not permitted to go to half of our port excursions. Aruba would not let the ship dock as there too many sick people aboard. Activities were limited due outbreak of the Noro virus. No compensation given. This ship made us sick and then punished us for it. Never again.