Outbreak affects at least 90 cruise ship passengers

A gastroenteritis outbreak has been reported on a Royal Caribbean ship, with more than 90 passengers and crew members affected. The vessel departed from Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, 1 February, for a seven-day Western Caribbean cruise. On 4 February, just three days after setting sail, 89 passengers and two crew members reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The gastroenteritis symptoms were observed while the ship was sailing in the Gulf of Mexico. In response, Royal Caribbean has implemented health measures aimed at containing the spread of infections and safeguarding the well-being of passengers and crew members. These measures include environmental disinfection, isolation of affected individuals, and collection of biological samples for diagnostic testing. The cause of the outbreak remains to be determined. The vessel returned to Tampa on February 8. It is crucial to consider this incident as part of a broader pattern of occurrences. A similar incident occurred in October 2024, when more than 180 people reported symptoms such as stomach pain while travelling on a Royal Caribbean ship through Canada. During another cruise of the same shipping company, 180 passengers and three crew members reported symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, and muscle pain.