An outbreak of norovirus occurred on Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess in , as approximately 110 passengers and crew members developed symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection during the voyage.
Patients in quarantine
The patients were immediately quarantined and isolated from the other travelers, while disinfection and hygiene measures were strengthened in all areas of the ship. The incident is being monitored by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the ship continues its route to the Caribbean region.
The cruise ship departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 28 and is expected to dock on Monday (May 11), currently sailing off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and scheduled to approach Nassau on Sunday (May 10), according to CruiseMapper, as reported by the Mirror.
What the company says
“Princess Cruises confirms that a limited number of people reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the Caribbean Princess’s April 28 voyage from Port Everglades,” the company said in a statement Friday. “We proceeded immediately to disinfect all areas of the ship and strengthened cleanliness measures throughout the journey.”
Princess Cruises also reportedly said the Caribbean Princess would be fully cleaned and disinfected before sailing again, but did not say what caused the outbreak.
The US CDC said there were 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members on board. Norovirus, often called the ‘winter vomiting virus’, is a highly contagious stomach virus that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the NHS.
