This year marked the worst in more than a decade for outbreaks of stomach bugs on cruise ships docking in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With one day to go, 2024 recorded the highest number of stomach virus outbreaks on cruises since 2012 – with the two years tied for 16 total outbreaks. Last year there were 14 gastrointestinal outbreaks.
In December alone, the CDC reported five separate outbreaks on four different ships — sickening more than 800 people. All of the outbreaks were caused by the highly contagious norovirus, which is seeing an increase in cases across the US.
The latest eruption is the worst this year.
The spread aboard Cunard Cruise Line’s Queen Mary 2 – which launched in December. 21 and is still at sea – sickened about 400 people on board. According to the CDC’s most recent data, 326 of 2,565 passengers, or 12%, and 65 of 1,233 crew members, or 5%, came down with the nasty stomach bug.
The norovirus apparently stayed aboard the Queen Mary 2 — either through contaminated surfaces or infected crew members — when passengers on its last voyage disembarked from the cruise ship.
According to the records, an earlier outbreak on the same boat during a voyage from December 14 to 21 sickened 138 of 2,430 passengers or 5% and 12 of 1,237 crew members or 1%.
The vast majority of the 16 outbreaks — all but three — were caused by norovirus in 2024. An outbreak in March was caused by E. coli and one in September was caused by Salmonella, while the cause of a third remains unknown, the CDC said.
Cunard Line said it adopted enhanced health protocols in response to the outbreaks, including additional deep cleaning and close monitoring of sick passengers and crew by on-board medical staff.
Symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps and usually last one to three days.
But the virus is often still contagious after symptoms subside — even up to two weeks later.
It can spread “very easily and quickly” through direct contact, consuming contaminated food or drink, and touching contaminated surfaces, the CDC says.
Frequent and thorough hand washing – especially before eating and after using the toilet – is key to keeping the bug at bay, as well as cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
Cruise lines follow specific guidelines approved by the CDC for cleaning and disinfecting ships and are required to report any outbreaks affecting 3% or more of passengers and crew members to the agency.
Cruise ships aren’t the only place where norovirus spreads quickly. Each year, there are an average of 2,500 reported outbreaks of the nasty stomach virus across the US, and cases are currently on the rise in some parts of the country.
Norovirus is estimated to cost $60 billion worldwide — and about $2 billion in the U.S. — each year in health care costs and lost productivity, according to the CDC.
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