Virus attacks luxury cruise ship, more than 100 tourists seriously ill

There's nothing worse than getting sick on vacation, especially a vomiting illness on a luxury cruise ship.

That’s what’s happening on AIDAdiva, a luxury cruise ship from German line AIDA Cruises, which is currently on a 133-day voyage, stopping in the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Japan, South Africa and more, according to CruiseMapper. The voyage didn’t get off to a good start, thanks to a norovirus outbreak that is believed to have affected more than 100 passengers and crew members, out of 2,007 passengers and 640 staff on board, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Many people on the German cruise ship are seriously ill.

PHOTO: NYP

Those infected, whose symptoms include severe diarrhea and vomiting, are being isolated and cleaning and disinfection procedures are being stepped up, as well as samples being collected from gastrointestinal cases for testing, the report said.

The cruise departed from Hamburg, Germany, on November 10 and is scheduled to depart in March 2026, so these passengers still have plenty of time to avoid infection. The CDC was first notified of the outbreak on November 30, and according to an AIDA spokesperson, this is the peak season for seasonal illnesses. "Seasonal illnesses peak from November to April, and AIDAdiva's report reflects infection patterns on land," they told USA Today . "As a result, we added additional cleaning procedures on board, and cases have decreased."

For some reason, cruise ships seem to be a breeding ground for the virus, with the CDC reporting the outbreak as the 21st of the year. More recently, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship en route to Miami in September fell victim to norovirus, with 71 passengers and one crew member infected.

"The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit is our top priority. To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety on board, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which go beyond public health guidelines," Royal Caribbean told USA Today .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/virus-tan-cong-du-thuyen-hang-sang-hon-100-du-khach-om-nang-185251209064531665.htm