Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Hit by Norovirus Outbreak, Nearly 100 Sick

Miami, Florida – A Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Serenade of the Seas, docked in Miami early Thursday morning following a norovirus outbreak that sickened nearly 100 passengers and crew members. The vessel, which embarked on a 13-day voyage through Central America and the Caribbean from San Diego on September 19, reported the illnesses to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, more than 90 passengers and four crew members experienced symptoms consistent with norovirus, a highly contagious stomach infection, including diarrhea and vomiting. One passenger, Bob Petit, recounted his severe experience, stating, "I got violently sick that I couldn't make it to the bathroom even." His son, Joshua, noted that the outbreak seemed to begin a day or two after the ship visited Mexico. In response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean confirmed it isolated sick passengers and implemented increased cleaning and disinfection procedures. Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease specialist, described the illness as "a miserable, miserable three days for most people" and advised cruise passengers to "absolutely avoid the buffet" and be "very, very careful about your hand hygiene" if an outbreak is suspected. She also noted that there is no antiviral treatment for norovirus, making symptom management and hydration crucial. This incident marks the 19th gastrointestinal illness outbreak on a cruise ship this year, a figure that has already outpaced the total for all of last year, raising concerns about public health on cruise lines.

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