An investigation is currently underway by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding an outbreak on a luxury cruise ship. Over 150 individuals on board have experienced symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
According to Cruise Mapper, the ship embarked on a 55-day journey from Southampton, U.K. on January 9. According to ABC, the spread appears to have started shortly after it arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Jan. 22.
The current location of the vessel is in San Francisco, and it is scheduled to depart for Hawaii. From there, it will proceed to Australia by March 4th. The Vessel Sanitation Program is currently monitoring the situation.
“Cunard has acknowledged that a few guests on board Queen Victoria have experienced symptoms of gastrointestinal illness,” the company informed NBC News in a statement.
“They promptly implemented their upgraded health and safety measures to prioritize the welfare of every guest and crew member on the ship. “Measures have been effective,” Cunard added, emphasizing their success.
The cases that have been reported reflect the overall number of individuals affected throughout the entire journey, according to the CDC. These figures do not indicate the current number of individuals who are currently ill at any given moment.
Norovirus Outbreak Strikes Celebrity Cruise from Tampa
In early January, there was an outbreak of norovirus on a Celebrity Cruise Line that departed from Tampa. A small percentage of the passengers experienced some impact.
Last year, norovirus was the most frequently mentioned illness on cruise ships, as per the CDC. The infection is commonly associated with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.