Norovirus warning to travellers after huge outbreak on cruise ship – as experts warn of ‘summer surge’
THERE’S bad news for those of us who thought norovirus was just a ‘winter vomiting bug’.
Turns out your summer holidays could be marred by more than seasickness, after health watchdogs warned 177 people were struck down with norovirus on a cruise ship in May.
The Celebrity Summit cruise ship set sail to Bermuda from on May 15 from Bayonne, New Jersey.
In the 10 days it took to complete its route, 25 crew members and 152 of the 2,144 passengers onboard reported norovirus symptoms, according to a notice by US’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The nasty bug can spread quickly through poo and vomit particles, touching contaminated surfaces, ingesting tainted food or water, or coming into close contact with someone infected.
Symptoms can come on suddenly within one to two days of you being infected, the NHS said.
And according to the CDC, the bug is incredibly transmissible: “If you get norovirus illness, you can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can’t see without a microscope.
“It only takes a few norovirus particles to make you and other people sick.”
The close quarters of a cruise ship mean the virus can spread quickly from person to person.
This latest incident on the Celebrity Summit is the twelfth outbreak of gastrointestinal disease on a cruise ship the CDC has reported so far in 2023 – up from 10 recorded in the entirety of 2019.
Of these cases, five have been pinned to norovirus.
This is also the third time this year a norovirus outbreak has been reported aboard a Celebrity Cruises vessel, according to the CDC.
The Sun has contacted Celebrity Cruises for comment.
UK guidelines for handling the nasty vomiting bug on cruises dictate that an intestinal illness outbreak should be declared if more than two per cent of passengers and/or two per cent of the crew experience diarrhoea and vomiting, as well as tummy cramps, headaches, muscle aches and fevers.
For context, about seven per cent of the passengers aboard the Celebrity Summit were sickened with norovirus and just over 2 per cent of the crew, according to the CDC.
Norovirus symptoms to know
Norovirus can be very unpleasant but it usually clears up with a couple days of symptoms starting.
According to the NHS website, you are likely to have caught norovirus if you experience a sudden sick feeling, projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.
The main symptoms are:
You should get advice by ringing 111 if you are still throwing up after two days, or having diarrhoea for more than seven days.
The same goes for children, and it is important to keep out for dehydration signs, especially if this isn’t fixed with oral rehydration sachets.
Call 999 if you or your child’s sick has blood in it, is green or yellow or looks like ground coffee.
Signs like a stiff neck, pain when looking at lights or a sudden severe headache or stomach ache also warrant calling 999, the NHS says.
Tips for healthy holidaying
It’s very important that you report your illness if you’re feeling sick before boarding a cruise.
You can ask your cruise line if they have any alternative trips you could take, or speak to a doctor to find out whether it is safe for you to sail, according to CDC guidance.
If you feel sick while travelling, let your ship’s medical facility know.
You should also wash your hands often to avoid exposing yourself to germs that could cause illness. It’s especially important you do so after using the loo and before eating.
Remember to use soap and water each time, as alcohol hand gel doesn’t kill the norovirus, according to the NHS.
It’s best practice to leave the area if you see someone being sick.
And most importantly, rest and drink lots of water.