Norovirus Hits Cruise Ship, 125 Infected

More than 120 passengers and crew members aboard a Princess Cruises ship contracted norovirus during a recent voyage, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced after the ship docked in San Francisco on Thursday.

Aboard the Ruby Princess, which had completed a 20-day cruise from San Francisco to Canada and Alaska, 102 passengers and 23 crew members fell ill. The ship carried a total of 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members.

Norovirus is highly contagious and spreads mainly through food, contaminated surfaces, or direct contact between people, particularly in crowded spaces. Symptoms include sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, typically lasting about three days. The illness can be more dangerous for young children, older adults, and people with other health conditions.

Princess Cruises said its crew implemented stricter hygiene measures after the outbreak was detected. The ship will undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection before its next voyage.

The CDC has recorded seven cruise ship outbreaks since the start of the year, most of them caused by norovirus. To prevent infection, the agency recommends thorough handwashing with soap and water, noting that hand sanitizers alone are not sufficiently effective against the virus.

(AP, BAK)