Norovirus Outbreak Onboard Celebrity Cruise Summit Leaves More Than 175 Sick
More than 175 individuals have fallen ill to the norovirus while on a recent cruise onboard the Celebrity Summit, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the report, 152 of the vessel’s 2,144 passengers, and 25 crew members, reported experiencing norovirus symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and headache. The outbreak occurred on the cruise ship during a 10-day sailing to Bermuda from May 15 to 25.
The norovirus is commonly referred to as the stomach flu. It can quickly spread via bacteria particles from vomit or feces, through contaminated surfaces, contact with people who have the virus, or through tainted food and/or water.
The virus spreads quickly once it is contracted. According to the CDC, it only takes a few norovirus particles to make someone sick. Once the norovirus is contracted, the infected person can shed billions of these particles.
Gastrointestinal illnesses, such as the norovirus, have been on the rise since the cruise industry reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the 12th CDC-reported outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness on a cruise vessel this year alone. Five of these outbreaks were confirmed to be norovirus.
This latest outbreak marked the third outbreak of norovirus on a Celebrity cruise ship, according to the CDC. Other outbreaks were reported on the Celebrity Equinox and the Celebrity Constellation vessels in March 2023. Approximately 136 passengers and crew members contracted the norovirus on the Celebrity Equinox and 96 contracted it on the Celebrity Constellation.
Because the norovirus spreads quickly in close quarters, it is often referred to as the “cruise ship disease.” When outbreaks like these occur, it can be hard to contain. Washing hands is often the best line of defense against the norovirus, but measures, such as hand sanitizer stations, are no match for the norovirus bacteria.
Traveling on cruise ships exposes people to new environments and high volumes of people, including other travelers. This exposure can create the risk for illness from contaminated food, or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact.
The number-one way to avoid getting sick with Norovirus or other illnesses on a cruise is to thoroughly wash your hands — more than you ordinarily would — before and after you eat, after you use the restroom, when returning to the cruise ship after a day in port and every time you touch a stranger or an oft-touched item like a stairway railing or a slot machine. This way, you will kill any germs before they can infect you.
While the norovirus is often associated with outbreaks on cruise ships, these types of outbreaks only represent a small portion of norovirus outbreaks worldwide. Most occur in a healthcare setting, such as in nursing homes. Norovirus infection symptoms usually last 1 to 3 days. Most people recover completely without treatment. However, for some— especially young children, older adults, and people with other medical conditions — vomiting and diarrhea can be severely dehydrating and require greater medical care. These age-related factors are also likely contributors to a higher mortality rate from norovirus-related illness.
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SOURCES:
Investigation Update on the Celebrity Summit – National Center for Environmental Health (May 31, 2023)
Tips for Healthy Cruising – CDC.gov
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