Norovirus outbreak on a P&O cruise in northern Europe

A suspected Norovirus outbreak has been reported on the P&O Iona cruise ship, which is currently on a seven-day trip in northern Europe. Many passengers and staff have shown vomiting and other symptoms of a stomach illness. P&O has confirmed the outbreak but says the number of affected persons is less than 1% of those onboard (5000 passengers, 1800 crew members). The company also states that strict health and safety protocols have been adopted to deal with the situation. Passengers who will be forced to leave the trip due to illness will receive a full refund.
Norovirus is highly contagious and spreads through contaminated food, surfaces, and direct contact with infected people. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, and stomach cramps. Dehydration is the main risk due to losing fluids through vomiting and diarrhoea. There is no specific treatment, and doctors recommend only to drink to prevent dehydration. Norovirus outbreaks are quite common in hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships, and they have been increasing in recent years. This winter NHS England, for example, reported over 1160 daily hospitalizations due to the virus, the highest number since 2012. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also confirmed a large outbreak at the beginning of this year.