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Over 100 passengers on a Cunard cruise ship have become ill due to a sickness outbreak during their holiday.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), out of the 1,824 people aboard Queen Victoria, approximately 6 percent, or 116 individuals, have experienced a type of gastrointestinal illness.
Fifteen members of the crew have also fallen ill, experiencing primary symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting.
The ship Queen Victoria, which has been operational since 2007, is currently embarking on a 107-night journey around the world. It set sail from Southampton on January 11th and is scheduled to arrive back at the UK port in late April.
The current portion of the journey is a 16-night trip from Port Everglades in Florida to San Francisco, California. The ship set sail on January 22nd, and some passengers will be leaving on February 7th.
On January 22, the CDC stated that problems have arisen, but the cause is currently unknown. The Vessel Sanitation Program is closely observing the situation.
The crew responded to the outbreak by implementing stricter cleaning and disinfection measures, following the ship’s plan for preventing and responding to outbreaks. They also isolated any passengers or crew members who were ill.
A representative from the cruise company informed The Independent that a few guests had experienced symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness while on the Queen Victoria ship.
“They promptly implemented their advanced measures for health and safety in order to prioritize the health and safety of all individuals on the ship, including guests and crew.”
The event occurred shortly after nearly 100 people aboard Celebrity Constellation, a ship operated by Celebrity Cruises, were infected with norovirus on January 3rd while sailing from Florida.
In 2023, the health agency documented 14 cases of gastrointestinal illness that exceeded the limit for public notification. They also mentioned that while people typically link cruise ships to sudden gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus, these outbreaks are not common occurrences on the ships.
Source: independent.co.uk