Luxury cruise experience, nearly 100 people infected with disease

(Dan Tri) - Nearly 100 passengers and crew on a cruise ship departing from the US have become ill after an outbreak of Norovirus - a highly contagious intestinal virus.

This cruise ship named Serenade of the Seas, belonging to Royal Caribbean, departed from San Diego (California, USA) on September 19, visited Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, and is expected to arrive in Miami (Florida, USA) on October 2.

According to information reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 28, of the 1,874 passengers on the cruise ship, 94 people reported being sick during the trip, along with 4 of the 883 crew members also infected.

Symptoms of infection with the virus in humans include diarrhea, vomiting, muscle aches, headache, abdominal pain or fever, and three or more loose stools within 24 hours, the CDC said.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas cruise ship (Photo: Mirror).

Royal Caribbean said it has increased cleaning and disinfection measures on the ship as part of its pandemic response plan, and has taken samples from those infected. Passengers and crew members who have symptoms have been quarantined. The ship is also coordinating with the CDC on disinfection procedures and case reporting.

"The health and safety of our guests, crew and the regions we visit is always our top priority. We implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which go beyond public health guidelines," a Royal Caribbean representative said.

According to the CDC, there have been 19 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships so far this year, 14 of which were caused by Norovirus.

Nearly 100 people infected while on a cruise (Photo: Mirror).

There were also 18 outbreaks in 2024, with 15 linked to Norovirus. There were 14 in 2023, 13 of which were also caused by the virus. The CDC said a new strain of Norovirus is now circulating on land, and ships often follow the trend of outbreaks on land.

This outbreak follows a series of similar cases. In July, 134 passengers and seven crew members on the Navigator of the Seas were infected. In February, 160 passengers and eight crew members on the Radiance of the Seas were infected.

Norovirus is described by the NHS (National Health Service) as "a highly contagious stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea". Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea accompanied by fever, headache, abdominal pain and body aches.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/trai-nghiem-du-thuyen-sang-trong-gan-100-nguoi-nhiem-dich-benh-20251001222440367.htm