Norovirus outbreak reported on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

A norovirus outbreak has sickened dozens of people on a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship currently sailing in the Atlantic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program said 71 of the 1,874 passengers on the Serenade of the Seas have reported gastrointestinal illness during a voyage that began on September 19 in San Diego and is scheduled to end on October 2 in Miami. One crew member has also fallen ill.

The most common symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. The outbreak was reported to the CDC on September 28.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily in close quarters, such as cruise ships, and typically causes vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

In response, Royal Caribbean and the ship’s crew implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures, isolated affected individuals, and collected stool specimens for testing. The CDC said VSP is remotely monitoring the outbreak and reviewing the ship’s response procedures.

The largest cruise ship outbreak reported so far this year occurred in March aboard Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, when 266 passengers and 19 crew members became ill during a transatlantic voyage. Like the current outbreak, the illness was attributed to norovirus.