Norovirus spread on cruise ships

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), numerous viruses, especially those of a gastrointestinal nature, have infected passengers travelling on cruise ships. Norovirus has been designated ‘the cruise ship virus’, due to its high contagiousness and ability to spread in places where people are in close contact, as William Schaffner, a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explained to CNN. This is because Norovirus can persist for days, or even a week, on contaminated environmental surfaces. The CDC reported 16 gastrointestinal outbreaks in 2024, the highest number recorded over a decade, with 14 outbreaks reported in 2023. In December alone, 5 cruise ships were affected by vomiting, with hundreds of passengers aboard Cunard Line, Holland America, and Princess Cruises reporting symptoms. It is important to note that the data provided by the CDC may be an underestimation since the CDC’s data only considers ships under the jurisdiction of the U.S. agency and therefore does not cover all ships crossing the world’s oceans. To contain the Norovirus outbreak, Schaffner advises individuals to refrain from travelling if they feel unwell and to pay meticulous attention to the hygiene instructions given on the cruise ship, especially frequent hand washing.