More than 120 passengers and crew members of the Ruby Princess cruise ship have been infected with norovirus during a 20-day voyage between San Francisco, Canada and Alaska. This is reported by ABC, citing information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), News.bg reports.
According to health authorities, 102 passengers and 23 crew members have fallen ill. The ship, owned by Princess Cruises, set sail on June 12, and the outbreak was reported to the CDC on Saturday.
The health agency said that not all those infected developed symptoms at the same time or when the ship arrived and departed. A total of 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members were on board during the cruise.
Norovirus is among the most contagious causes of gastrointestinal infections. It is most often transmitted through contaminated food, water, surfaces or direct contact with an infected person. Cruise ships are among the places where such infections can spread more quickly because of the large number of people in a confined space.
The disease usually manifests itself with sudden vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain, with symptoms lasting up to three days in most cases. Although most patients recover quickly, the virus can pose a serious risk to young children, seniors over 65 and people with chronic conditions.
Princess Cruises said that immediately after the cases were identified, the crew implemented enhanced sanitation measures on board to limit the spread of the virus. The company also announced that the ship will undergo a thorough cleaning and disinfection before the next sailing.
According to the CDC, this is one of seven cruise ship outbreaks recorded since the beginning of the year, with the causative agent in most cases being norovirus.
U.S. health authorities recommend frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom and before eating, as the most effective preventive measure. The CDC emphasizes that hand sanitizers do not provide sufficient protection against this virus.