Hundreds sickened on board two cruise ships

Summary

The cruise industry is striving for recovery after incidents of illness aboard two ships. The Caribbean Princess reported over 170 passengers and crew affected by symptoms resembling norovirus, prompting an early return to port in Houston due to expected fog. This follows a similar outbreak on the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. Health experts advise minimizing contact, suggesting elbow bumps instead of handshakes to prevent transmission. Despite these challenges, interest in cruising remains high, with nearly 21 million passengers last year, indicating resilience in the face of recent health concerns.

Takeaways

• 😷 Passengers aboard two cruise ships experienced illness, prompting concern about health safety.
• 🚢 The Caribbean Princess had over 170 passengers and crew fall ill, leading to an early return to port.
• 🌫️ The early return was attributed to dense fog expected to close the port, not directly to the illness outbreak.
• 🤒 Symptoms reported by passengers on the Caribbean Princess were similar to those experienced on the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas.
• 🔬 The CDC confirmed that the illness on the Explorer of the Seas was caused by norovirus, a fast-spreading virus.
• 🤝 Epidemiologists highlight that norovirus is commonly transmitted through close contact, such as shaking hands.
• 👋 A recommended precaution is to bump elbows instead of shaking hands when meeting new people on cruises.
• 🌊 Cruises expose passengers to significantly more people over an extended time, increasing the risk of illness transmission.
• 🧼 The Explorer of the Seas underwent sanitization upon return to reassure future passengers of cleanliness.
• 📈 Despite recent incidents, the cruise industry remains popular, with nearly 21 million people taking cruises last year.

Q & A

What recent incidents occurred in the cruise industry?

Recently, passengers aboard two different cruise ships fell ill, leading to concerns about health safety in the cruise industry.

What was the cause of the illness on the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas?

The illness on the Explorer of the Seas was confirmed by the CDC to be a fast-spreading norovirus outbreak.

How many passengers and crew were affected on the Caribbean Princess?

Over 170 passengers and crew became ill on the Caribbean Princess, which returned to port in Houston a day early.

What advice do epidemiologists provide to prevent the spread of norovirus on cruise ships?

Epidemiologists advise avoiding handshakes and instead suggest bumping elbows to reduce the transmission of norovirus.

Why did the Caribbean Princess return to port early?

The Caribbean Princess returned early due to expected dense fog that was likely to close the port for much of the weekend.

What measures were taken when the Explorer of the Seas returned to port?

The Explorer of the Seas was sanitized upon returning to port to ease the fears of the next group of passengers.

How does the cruise environment contribute to the spread of illnesses like norovirus?

Cruise ships host significantly more people than a typical day, and passengers are in close proximity for extended periods, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

What is the overall trend in the cruise industry despite health concerns?

Despite recent incidents and health concerns, the cruise industry is seeing a booming business, with nearly 21 million people taking cruises in the previous year.

What symptoms did passengers report on the recent cruises?

Passengers reported symptoms similar to those experienced during the norovirus outbreak, leading to concerns about their health and safety.

What precautions are taken by cruise lines following incidents of illness?

Cruise lines typically implement sanitation measures and monitor health protocols to address and prevent further incidents of illness among passengers.