An outbreak has struck Queen Victoria, a Cunard Line ship, affecting over 100 passengers and crew members throughout its present 111-night voyage from Hamburg to Sydney. Well being officers are investigating the trigger, with signs of diarrhea and vomiting.
CDC Investigates Well being Incident
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) has reported an outbreak on Queen Victoria, operated by Carnival Company-owned Cunard Line. In the course of the ship’s present journey, which started in Fort Lauderdale on January 22, 2024, 120 of the ship’s 1,824 passengers and 15 of the ship’s 967 crew members have reported sickness.
Signs predominantly embrace diarrhea and vomiting. In response, Cunard has applied enhanced cleansing and disinfection procedures and remoted those that are unwell.
In a press release made to FOX Enterprise, a spokesperson for Cunard stated, “They instantly activated their enhanced well being and security protocols to make sure the well-being of all company and crew onboard.”
The CDC famous, “The gastrointestinal sickness instances reported are totals for the whole voyage and don’t signify the variety of lively (symptomatic) gastrointestinal instances at any given port of name or at disembarkation.”
The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is carefully monitoring the state of affairs and reviewing the ship’s response and sanitation measures.
Potential Causes
Whereas the causative brokers of the outbreak stay unidentified, norovirus is a typical sickness on cruise ships, in addition to workplaces, colleges, and different crowded areas. Characterised by gastrointestinal signs, norovirus is extremely contagious and might unfold shortly in enclosed environments like ships.
Notably, Movie star Constellation is the primary ship to report a norovirus outbreak in 2024. The outbreak struck the ship on its 9-night roundtrip cruise from Tampa, Florida, which departed on January 12, 2024.
On this cruise, 68 of two,056 passengers and 7 of the ship’s 948 crew members reported signs of vomiting and diarrhea.
Learn Additionally: Methods Not To Get Sick With The Norovirus Whereas Cruising
13 norovirus incidents have been reported in 2023 on varied cruise traces, together with Princess Cruises, Holland American Line, Royal Caribbean Worldwide, Viking Cruises, and P&O Cruises.
Preventative Measures for Passengers
Cruise vacationers are suggested to take precautionary measures to remain wholesome and stop the unfold of sickness. Passengers are additionally inspired to apply good hygiene, similar to frequent hand washing, to reduce the chance of an infection.
If sickness is suspected, key practices embrace isolation, resting, staying hydrated, choosing a bland weight loss program, and utilizing over-the-counter medicines for signs like diarrhea and nausea.
The smallest of Cunard’s ships in operation, Queen Victoria weighs simply over 90,000 gross tons and might accommodate as much as 2,061 company. Refurbished in 2017, the ship options 143 inside cabins and 860 exterior cabins throughout 12 decks. Her homeports embrace Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, and Southampton, England.
Queen Victoria is at the moment on a “111-Evening Full World Voyage” from Hamburg, Germany, to Sydney, Australia, with stops together with Bermuda, Florida, Aruba, Mexico, California, Hawaii, Fiji, and New Zealand. It’s at the moment at sea en path to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, arriving on February 3.
Regardless of the outbreak, the cruise is continuous as deliberate, with the well being and security of passengers and crew a high precedence.
