More than 150 passengers aboard U.S. cruise ships suffered from diarrhea and vomiting during two separate norovirus outbreaks in April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The health agency said 94 of 2,532 passengers on a Princess Cruises ship and 67 of 1,993 passengers on a Royal Caribbean ship reported illnesses during voyages this month.
Diarrhea and vomiting were the predominant symptoms reported in each of the outbreaks.
In addition to the 161 affected passengers, 20 crew members of the Sapphire Princess and two of the Radiance of the Seas also suffered symptoms of norovirus.
The Princess Cruise voyage departed Los Angeles for a month-long round trip to Hawaii and the South Pacific Islands on April 5, while the Royal Caribbean-operated cruise began its two-week voyage from Tampa, Fla. , in Los Angeles via South America on April 8. April.
Both ships implemented “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures” and isolated sick passengers and crew, the CDC reported.
A Princess Cruises spokesperson said in a statement: “On board Sapphire Princess’s latest voyage, there were a small number of cases of mild gastrointestinal illness among passengers, with the cause likely being the common virus but contagious virus called Norovirus.
“At the first sign of an increase in the number of passengers presenting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced disinfection procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus.
“Our disinfection program includes sanitizing measures, isolating sick passengers and communicating to passengers what steps they can take to stay healthy on board.”
The independent has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.
Six outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships have been recorded by the CDC so far this year. The agency recommends washing your hands and moisturizing for a “healthy cruise.”
The outbreaks come after 28 passengers aboard the Silver Nova, operated by Silversea Cruises, were struck down by norovirus earlier this month.
In the UK, 116 people on a Cunard cruise suffered a form of gastrointestinal illness aboard a Queen Victoria ship from Southampton in January.
