MIAMI— More than 100 people are sick with norovirus, a virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, aboard a cruise ship that left Florida last week and will dock again in the state in the coming days.
102 passengers and 13 crew members of the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, which is sailing near the Bahamas, have reported being sick with the virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement.
To contain the outbreak, the boat’s staff increased “cleaning and disinfection,” isolated infected people and consulted with health authorities about “cleaning” procedures and for reporting cases, the letter detailed.
The cruise ship is scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral, outside Orlando, on May 11, according to the cruise tracking portal CruiseMapper.
There are a total of 3,116 passengers on the ship, so the current outbreak affects 3% of travelers.
Norovirus is the leading cause of diarrhea and vomiting outbreaks in the United States, according to the CDC. It can be spread through direct contact with other people, eating food and drinks contaminated with the virus, and touching contaminated surfaces.
