CDC reports first cruise norovirus outbreak this year, as nearly 90 people are infected
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a norovirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship — the first one of the year that's been reported.
The Holland America Line was hit with a norovirus outbreak that sickened nearly 90 passengers and crew during its Dec 28-Jan. 9 voyage.
The cruise notified the CDC of the outbreak on Jan. 8, according to the agency’s report.
CDC REPORTS 21ST CRUISE SHIP NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK THIS YEAR, WITH NEARLY 100 PEOPLE INFECTED
The outbreak spread on the cruise line’s Rotterdam ship.
The vessel departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with stops in Curaçao, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica and other destinations, according to CruiseMapper.
Eighty-one passengers plus eight crew members reported diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC's data shows.
Over 2,593 passengers, plus 1,005 crew members, were on board at the time.
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A Holland America Line spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Monday that "during its previous voyage, a number of guests onboard Rotterdam reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness."
"The cases were mostly mild and quickly resolved," the spokesperson added.
"The health of our guests and crew is a top priority, and consistent with CDC protocols, we conducted a comprehensive sanitization of the ship when the cruise ended Friday in Fort Lauderdale."
Since the outbreak, the cruise line has increased its cleaning and disinfection procedures, according to their outbreak prevention and response plan, the CDC noted.
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Holland America Line collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing and isolated ill passengers and crew, the CDC reports.
In order to track gastrointestinal issues, medical staff evaluated symptoms of three or more loose stools from individuals within a 24-hour period, or that which is more than normal for individual travelers.
Scott Weisenberg, M.D., medical director of the NYU Langone Infectious Disease Associates and the NYU Travel Medicine Program, previously told Fox News Digital that the virus is highly contagious — and it can spread quickly in crowded settings such as cruise ships.
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"If people have acute vomiting, they should avoid public areas, since even if they don't touch anything, the virus can spread through the air," he said.
Weisenberg also noted that proper hygiene plays a key role in preventing transmission.
Shared surfaces can easily become contaminated, putting anyone who touches them at risk of infection.