A “suspected norovirus outbreak” has seen nearly 80cruise shippassengers taken ill. The incident happened on a Holland America Line cruise in Hong Kong. A local news release says the Centre for Health Protection boarded the cruise line’s Westerdam ship to investigate on March 1.
There are around 2,800 passengers on board, with 65 guests and 11 crew members becoming unwell. The people developed symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, including diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. The ship departed from Yokohama,Japan, near Tokyo, on February 15.
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Samples have been taken from patients, with tests ongoing by the CHP’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch. Stool samples taken from seven people tested positive for norovirus, reports USA TODAY.
Holland America toldUSA TODAYthat “a number of guests reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness” during the vessel’s previous voyage.
“The cases were mostly mild and quickly resolving,” the cruise line said in an emailed statement.
“As a precaution and consistent with our standard protocols, we implemented enhanced sanitation procedures and conducted additional deep cleaning when the ship completed its sailing in Hong Kong,” it said.
Outbreaks are very common oncruiseships and other crowded settings, including schools, hotels, and care facilities.
The cases fell outside the jurisdiction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which handles international voyages that stop at a U.S. port.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
