Cruise ship Caribbean Princess, of Princess Cruises, had to return to Florida when gastroenteritis hit the vessel, in the latest cruise news. At least 345 passengers and 26 crew members suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In total, the ship was carrying more than 3,000 passengers and more than 1,100 crew members.
The following actions were reported on the cruise ship: “Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan.
“Making daily Captain’s announcements and distributing written health advisories to passengers. Sending daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to VSP.
And lastly: “Collecting stool specimens from passenger and/or crew gastrointestinal illness cases and sending specimens for testing.”
The CDC added: “The ship will return to port early for a super sanitation cleaning. VSP will send a team to assist with investigating the outbreak and to monitor the ship’s response procedures.”
DON’T MISS
Princess Cruises told Express.co.uk: “Caribbean Princess, which had been on a 14-day cruise in the Caribbean, has curtailed its current voyage due to guests reporting symptoms consistent with a mild case of gastrointestinal illness.
“The affected guests are being treated by the onboard medical team and there are no cases of coronavirus identified among guests or crew.
“The ship, with 4,196 guests and crew, is now sailing back to the Port of Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, and is scheduled to arrive at Port Everglades at 7:00am on Thursday, February 13.
“This is a highly unusual development and we share the disappointment of our guests. However, the health and safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and we have worked alongside the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make this decision.
Consequently, it’s key travellers make sure to take precautions to prevent catching any nasties.
CDC advises avoiding exposing yourself and others to anything that may cause illnesses and spread germs.
Holidaymakers (and crew) should wash their hands often, especially after going to the toilet and before eating or smoking.
It’s also advisable to get plenty of rest and drinks lots of water to rebuild one’s immune system and keep hydrated.