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Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years. Since January 2023, there have been 13 confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction — that's more outbreaks in six months than there have been during any full year since 2012, according to data from the U.S. Disembarking cruise ship passengers or crew members who have ARI should continue to take recommended precautions after disembarkation. If a passenger or crew member with viral ARI is taken to a healthcare facility off the ship, the facility should be informed before arrival.
Illnesses You Can Get on a Cruise Ship (Besides COVID)
However, cruise ships’ infirmaries are not hospitals, and they are not equipped to treat every health problem. Should the ship’s doctor decide that you need care at an onshore hospital, they’ll keep you as safe and comfortable as possible until you get there. The medical staff on cruise ships can diagnose and treat some illnesses on board and prescribe medications too.
How to avoid Norovirus on cruise ships?
The ship, the Queen Victoria, operated by Cunard Line, departed Southampton, England, on Jan. 11 on a 107-night cruise that included recent stops in Florida and San Francisco, according to the company’s website. Get enough sleep and enjoy fresh air whenever possible, and wash your hands frequently throughout the day. After that flight ends, however, the passengers quickly disperse, perhaps taking other flights, continuing to travel via other means, or simply going home or to different vacation spots.
How to Avoid Getting Norovirus on Cruise Ships - Health.com
How to Avoid Getting Norovirus on Cruise Ships.
Posted: Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Pregnant Travelers
Shipboard medical service fees vary and are usually set by medical practitioners. In most cruise ship hospitals, some supplies and medications are provided to passengers and crew for free - like aspirin, seasickness pills, small bandages. However, unlike on land, most basic travel insurance policies don't cover medical treatments on cruise ships as they are not from the patient's primary caregiver. Purchasing cruise travel insurance with health coverage (medical clauses) is highly recommended.
Does insurance cover medical expenses on a cruise?
Each company has its own standards provided for its passengers' healthcare. Shipboard hospitals as facilities and equipment vary by cruise line and vessel. Clinic's size usually depends on the ship's capacity (passengers plus crew).
If you have COVID-19
It's not about the passengers' health (never been) - it's about the big money that rules our world. The C.D.C. said that, as of Thursday, 129 passengers and 25 crew members had reported being ill on the ship. The agency said 1,824 passengers and 967 crew members were aboard at the time of the outbreak. If, several days later, many of those passengers have become ill, it is nearly impossible to tell where each person may have contracted the illness.
Should you be concerned about getting norovirus on a cruise?
Access to the online reporting form has been provided to cruise lines by CDC. When there are suspected cases of viral gastroenteritis onboard, many cruise ships change their operating procedures. This includes more frequent cleaning of high-touch items like door handles and railings, insisting that passengers sanitize their hands when entering dining rooms, and changing buffets so that it’s only staff who touch the serving utensils. You might want to pop on a KN95-type mask too, as there’s increasing evidence that norovirus is airborne. The following "health advisory" list of recommended actions is often issued during gastrointestinal illness outbreak or on embarkation day (of the next scheduled voyage).
Typically, the infection is treated with antibiotics, Chen says, but the CDC recently issued a warning that antibiotic-resistant strains are circulating in the U.S. Chen isn’t aware of any outbreaks of the resistant varieties on cruise ships, but it’s something to monitor. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, the risk each year of getting laboratory-confirmed norovirus during a ship outbreak is about 1 in 5,500. The association, which says it is the largest cruise industry trade association in the world, noted on its website that crew members use strict sanitation and cleaning practices created with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
Cunard told the CDC that the ship increased cleaning and disinfection, and isolated ill passengers and crew. Cruise operators should ensure passengers and crew have access to well-stocked hygiene stations with soap and water and/or hand sanitizer, tissues, paper towels, and trash receptacles. If you want to bring something on your ship to help lower the chance of catching norovirus, Lysol and Clorox products are among the bleaches the Environmental Protection Agency lists as being effective against norovirus. Before you buy anything, keep in mind bleach isn't allowed on cruise ships.
People with ARI should be advised of the importance of covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean because respiratory viruses may be shed after the isolation period ends. Respiratory specimens for ARI testing should be collected immediately upon illness onset, with the understanding that repeat testing may be indicated based on the viral etiology or state of the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, molecular tests are recommended over antigen tests because of their greater sensitivity; multiplex assays are available that can detect SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV. Major (in some cases epidemic) illness outbreaks are among the "biggies" that can bring down the brand's reputation on the market. Cruise illness issues often result in lower booking rates and cheaper prices - which is bad for the business. In January 2016, the CDC issued travel guidance on affected countries and suggested using enhanced precautions and even postponing travel.
The team reviewed public health trends and past areas of concern to come up with recommendations to do better. In June 2023, Royal Caribbean launched a norovirus eradication campaign that included a range of new protocols and policies. You're far more likely to catch norovirus at a long-term care facility, hospital, childcare center, or school. The navies of USA, UK, Australia, China, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Japan have some classes of military ships fitted with onboard hospitals. Most hospital ships are navy vessels (operated by military forces) which are specifically built for use in war zones.
The most severe outbreaks were reported in Brazil, with an alarming surge in newborns with microcephaly. If the mother is infected, the virus may cause microcephaly in newborns. This is a neurodevelopmental disorder - babies are born with an underdeveloped head. During the onboard illness outbreak, VSP requires the cruise company to activate the "Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan" (vessel's response to illness cases).
Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give more specific advice and recommendations. Some people are at higher risk of developing severe norovirus symptoms — these include infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, Ostrosky noted. In the vast majority of people, norovirus symptoms will last several days and resolve on their own. However, as travel surges this summer, travel-related illnesses are expected to surge, as well. “I think our travel frenzy after COVID is partially fueling this continued spread (of norovirus),” says Ostrosky. Respirators or well-fitting masks should be readily available and symptomatic passengers and crew should be encouraged to use them if they have to be outside their cabins.
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