Table Of Content
- Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans
- Norovirus Cases On Cruise Ships Skyrocket: Here’s Why—And How To Avoid Getting Sick
- Why do I only hear about Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships?
- Outbreak Updates for International Cruise Ships
- Using a Smartphone to Detect Norovirus (Winter Vomiting Bug)
- Norovirus Cruise Ship Outbreaks Already Reach 10-Year High In 2023
- Cruise Norovirus outbreaks updates
Seasickness is physical disorientation as a result of conflicting signals received by the brain from different body senses. Our inner ear senses the ship's irregular motion, which our eyes can't see because the floor and walls are stable. Depending on individual balance, our ability to adjust to motions varies, so not everyone experiences seasickness. The CDC advised that those who choose to travel on a cruise should get vaccinated against COVID-19 before their trip and, if eligible, receive a booster dose.
Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans
The virus spreads easily and is typically contracted when someone accidentally ingests tiny particles of vomit or feces from someone who is infected with it. The CDC writes that people who are infected "can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can't see without a microscope," and exposure to just a few norovirus particles can make someone sick. In light of these recent developments, it’s imperative to explore and understand the nature of Norovirus — what it is, why it’s a recurring issue aboard cruise ships, and its impact on the cruise industry. This article aims to shed light on these matters, unpacking the complexities of the problem, and highlighting the steps that are being taken to address it.
Norovirus Cases On Cruise Ships Skyrocket: Here’s Why—And How To Avoid Getting Sick
Norovirus Outbreaks Surge on Cruises: Here's How to Avoid the Bug - TODAY
Norovirus Outbreaks Surge on Cruises: Here's How to Avoid the Bug.
Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While having the symptoms of norovirus can be uncomfortable, they tend to be very short-lived and something that many people recover from in just a few days with over-the-counter medications. Norovirus is a viral infection that is one of the most common types of gastroenteritis — a condition that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal upset. It only takes a small number of virus particles for norovirus to spread, which is why norovirus causes so many explosive outbreaks, Ko previously told TODAY.com. Norovirus can also get into food before, during or after preparation, and it's the top germ causing foodborne illness in the U.S., per the CDC.
Why do I only hear about Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships?
In 2014, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 17. The total number of infected was 3559 (of those 3354 passengers and 205 crew). In 2015, the number of reported illness outbreaks on cruise ships was 23.
Among those are schools, hospitals, nursing homes, dormitories, prisons, big resorts, bigger passenger ships (including cruise ferries). Norovirus is often branded as "cruise ship virus" simply because on ships health officials are required to report every gastrointestinal illness incident. This means Norovirus outbreaks are reported more quickly on ships than on land. Just for comparison, the virus can afflict as many as 3000 people per day in only one big city, which is about the passenger capacity of a typical modern cruiser.
You can compare the number of reports (CDC and news media sources) and the total number of infected (passengers and crew). Norovirus outbreaks spiked on cruise ships this year, with data showing more outbreaks happened between January and June than over the course of any other full calendar year in the last decade. Thirteen norovirus outbreaks have been reported on cruises so far in 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which keeps a record of annual case counts dating back to 1994.
If you'd like to check out the outbreak information, you can find a detailed list of ships that have had acute gastroenteritis outbreaks (many of which were caused by norovirus), listed by year, about halfway down the CDC's outbreak page. The CDC estimates only about 1% of all annual U.S. norovirus cases happen on cruise ships. The numbers are greatest in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and restaurants, which collectively account for about 91% of cases. Norovirus often isn’t just your typical I’m-feeling-a-little-sick-so-I-may-pass-on-shuffleboard type of gastroenteritis. No, a norovirus infection can consist of projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea. Similarly, you’ve got to be careful about anything that could explode in your pants.
Outbreaks 2012 reports
If seasickness symptoms are accompanied by diarrhea or fever, passengers should immediately seek medical treatment for Norovirus and avoid spreading the illness to others. The symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, abdominal cramps. The illness lasts 1 to 4 days, but some people (especially elderly) may be contagious for up to 2 weeks after recovery. One month later, a second outbreak occurred on the same cruise ship, which, by that point was carrying different passengers and sailing from Montreal to New York City. At the same time, another ship, also from the same cruise line, also experienced a norovirus outbreak. This ship was sailing along the U.S.’s Eastern Seaboard, leaving from and returning to New York City.
An MSC Cruises representative told Insider at the time that the cruise line had launched an internal investigation based on the inspector's concerns and taken immediate corrective actions. During COVID, the options for cruises were limited, but now that restrictions have been lifted, more people are deciding to take that cruise they had been putting off. Since many people do not get tested, experts can only estimate how many norovirus cases occur in the U.S. every year. While the virus can affect people in large groups, we are starting to see bigger clusters of individuals getting sick. Hydration is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent dehydration — the biggest complication of this illness.
Beyond that, crewmembers distribute information to passengers onboard offering precautionary tips, as well as a heads-up memo at embarkation to travelers boarding a ship that had previously seen a high percentage of illness. And, as mentioned above, passengers who report symptoms may be quarantined to their cabins. Though generally moderate, symptoms are often flu-like (in fact, Norovirus is often called the "stomach flu," even though it is not related to influenza). Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps; children often vomit more than adults.
Virus particles can contaminate drinking water that isn't treated properly or pools when people poop in the water. Some people are at higher risk of developing severe norovirus symptoms — these include infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, Ostrosky noted. There’s no specific treatment or antiviral for norovirus, according to Ostrosky, but most cases can be managed at home with supportive care like hydration and rest. Sick people should also isolate until their symptoms resolve, the experts emphasize.
Should you be worried about catching norovirus or another gastrointestinal illness when you cruise? The CDC says cruises account for some of the lowest case numbers in the U.S. annually. In a study of acute gastroenteritis cases from 2006 to 2019 (before the cruise industry's COVID-19 shutdown), the CDC found that the number of cases on ships decreased over those 14 years. It also noted that the number of cases tends to be higher on larger ships and on voyages of a week or longer. Mathis says older passengers and others traveling with family face a risk from others in their party. For example, if grandchildren aren’t careful hand-washers, they can easily infect their grandparents and others.
What causes Norovirus on cruise vessels is mainly contaminated food/water. When it comes to ships, it spreads mostly through physical contact with sick people or handling contaminated objects. This includes sharing food/utensils and poor hygiene (not washing hands after bathroom use). The virus also spreads fecally, so you can catch it into the onboard laundry, or while changing diapers, etc. However, many passengers likely can blame a sick crewmember for the virus.
More specifically, it runs the Vessel Sanitation Program, which monitors illness outbreaks on ships carrying more than 13 passengers. Buffet service often switches from "help yourself" to manned stations. Norovirus has been a particular problem of late for cruise ships because passengers and crew typically occupy close -- and closed-in -- quarters, such as casinos, theaters and banquet-style dining rooms. However, Norovirus has been known to close schools, attack college dormitories and even infect a Hollywood Academy Awards party.
The hotel staff is required to implement special cleaning and disinfection procedures for sanitizing the whole ship. To do that, they use stronger solvents, like Microbac, chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide. Sick passengers and crew are quarantined in their rooms, typically for at least 2 days. When Norovirus outbreaks can't be contained, cruise lines might also pull the ship out of service for a few days for sanitizing. There have already been an unlucky 13 recorded norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction so far in 2023. That’s the highest tally in 10-years, ever since 16 such outbreaks occurred in 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program.
The allure of the open sea, captivating itineraries, and the luxurious promise of a carefree escape have long made cruising a popular choice for vacationers. However, this industry’s lustrous appeal has recently been overshadowed by a surge in outbreaks of a particularly stubborn and contagious pathogen — Norovirus. The Vessel Sanitation Program monitors vessel cleanliness, and there is no correlation between scores received and outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness.
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