More than 100 passengers and crew members fell sick during a norovirus outbreak on the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said 102 passengers and 13 crew members reported becoming ill during the voyage from April 28 to May 11. Princess Cruises responded with increased cleaning and disinfection procedures and isolated the sick passengers and crew.
The Vessel Sanitation Program is conducting an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation to help control the spread.
Norovirus is highly contagious and thrives in close quarters, making cruise ships susceptible. There have been two norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year.
According to the CDC, norovirus can be contracted from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, causing stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. The illness can be serious for young children and older adults.
The ship has 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew. It left Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is expected to return Monday.
Princess Cruises confirmed a limited number of mild gastrointestinal illness cases and said it quickly disinfected every area of the ship. This outbreak follows a March norovirus outbreak on the line's Star Princess ship, which sickened 141 passengers and 52 crew.