Virus sends Caribbean cruise ships back to homeport

(CNS): Two ships on eastern and southern Caribbean cruises were forced to make an early return to their homeport in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida this weekend following the outbreak of the norovirus, which is a highly contagious stomach flu virus. According to various new reports, more than 480 people on the Crown Princess and the Ruby Princess were stricken with the bug. Norovirus, which triggers gastroenteritis, is spread easily by person-to-person contact, especially through items they touch, such as food in buffets, and by water and food contaminated by human waste. Both ships are believed to be undergoing complete disinfection.

All cases of the virus must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta and a report must be prepared if the number of passengers exceeds 2% of the total number of people on board. Both ships have exceeded the 2% level and will have to undergo rigorous cleaning procedures before they will be able to embark for their next cruise.
Nirovirus is usually associated with cruise ships because of the mandatory reporting and the confined nature of a cruise ships where it is easier for the virus to spread.

The outbreak on the two Princess ships comes less than a month after the Italian cruise ship, Costa Concordia, ran aground off the coast of Giglio when seventeen people died and another 15 remain missing and presumed dead.