An epidemic of Norovirus aboard a luxury cruise ship left more than 224 passengers and 17 sick crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The touched journey was a luxury ship Cunard on a trip from Southampton, England, New York and the Caribbean before returning to the United Kingdom, according to Cruisemapper.
The ship, Queen Mary 2 of Cunard, is expected to travel on this road for almost a month, having left on March 8 and is expected to return on April 6.
On this Sunday, November 11, 2018, the file photo, the Queen Mary 2 is preparing to leave the Red Hook Terminal, bound for Southampton, England, in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
AP Photo / Mark Lennihan, file
The Norovirus Balayage epidemic was reported to the CDC on March 18, according to the agency.
In response to the epidemic, the ship and the crew increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected stool samples to test and isolated from sick people, said the CDC.
Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea and is commonly called “gastric flu” or “stomach bug”, according to the CDC.
This is the main cause of food of food origin in the United States. Other symptoms may include stomach pain, fever, headache, body pain or dehydration, depending on the CDC.
The virus is also quite common, especially on ships. So far, there have been 12 GI epidemics on cruise ships in 2025, according to the CDC.
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According to the Federal Health Agency, each year, norovirus causes between 19 and 21 million diseases, 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths.
A person can be infected by having direct contact with someone who is infected and sharing food or utensils with them; Touching surfaces or objects contaminated by Norovirus, then touching the face or mouth; or consume contaminated food or liquids.
As a rule, an infected person will develop symptoms between 12 and 48 hours after being infected. However, Norovirus generally solves quickly and, in most healthy adults, lasts one to three days, according to the CDC.
There is no specific or antiviral drug for Norovirus, which means that the only available treatment is to manage symptoms.
The CDC recommends staying hydrated and drinking liquids that reconstitute electrolytes, which can be exhausted by diarrhea and vomiting.
Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is one of the best ways to avoid spreading. To avoid food contamination, make sure that fruits and vegetables are washed and that crustaceans are cooked at least an internal temperature of 145 F.
ABC News contacted Cunard Line for a comment.
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