With norovirus cases rising on cruises, here's what the CDC recommends for keeping passengers safe.
Norovirus on the rise at sea? What do you need to know to stay healthy?
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So far in 2025, there have been 16 separate times when a lot of people on a cruise ship got sick with stomach problems. These outbreaks met the CDC's rules for telling the public. Out of those 16 times, 10 were caused by norovirus. In the most recent outbreak that was reported on Holland America Line's Eurodam ship, about 150 passengers and crew members got sick with norovirus.
A spokesperson for the CDC said that in the 2024-2025 season, a new type of norovirus (called GII.17) has become the most common one. They said that when there's a new type of the virus, more people can get sick with norovirus.
Compared to previous years, this number of outbreaks is already high. In all of 2024, there were 18 outbreaks, and in 2023, there were 14.
The CDC spokesperson also said that each year, there are about 2,500 times when people report getting sick with norovirus in the United States. These outbreaks happen throughout the year but are most common from November to April. Most of the time, people spread the virus to others by being in close contact (like taking care of someone who is sick, sharing food, or using the same eating tools).
Cruise ships are especially likely to have norovirus spread because they are closed spaces where many people are together in a new place. This can make it easy for the illness to spread from person to person.
The CDC spokesperson said that norovirus outbreaks can happen anywhere and can spread quickly, especially in closed or crowded places like cruise ships. Norovirus can also live on surfaces for a long time and can be passed on through food, water, or tiny drops of virus in the air that land on surfaces. However, the most common way it spreads is by direct contact with people who are sick.
To help stop norovirus or other stomach illnesses (called AGE, which means sudden vomiting and diarrhea) from spreading on cruise ships, the CDC says it's important to tell someone quickly if you feel sick. The CDC website says that reporting stomach illness is important because when passengers and crew tell the medical center on the ship about their symptoms, it helps them find out about outbreaks quickly. This lets them take steps to stop the illness from spreading.
The CDC also advises washing your hands often (especially before you eat and after you use the bathroom) and staying away from people who have symptoms. The CDC spokesperson noted that the best ways to prevent norovirus and keep it from spreading to others are things like washing your hands really well, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces with bleach, and keeping sick people separate from others.
The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) keeps track of these outbreaks. Recently, the VSP had some problems because the government cut staff at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), but they are still keeping track of illnesses on cruise ships.
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