Caribbean Cruise Halted After 600+ People Develop Gastrointestinal Illness
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported that a ship owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ended a 10-day Caribbean cruise yesterday after 577 passengers and 49 crew members came down with gastrointestinal illness symptoms. The cause of the outbreak is yet to be determined, according to the CDC. Officials with Royal Caribbean said illness symptoms are consistent with norovirus, but company doctors are awaiting test results to confirm that diagnosis.
The Explorer of the Seas' voyage was scheduled for Jan. 21-31, but the trip was terminated Jan. 26 after an epidemiologist and an environmental health officer from the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) boarded the ship in St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) to conduct an epidemiologic investigation and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Today's Investigation Update from the CDC noted that in response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and the crew aboard the ship took the following actions: