Over 100 passengers and crew members on a luxury cruise ship were infected with the Norovirus (a virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, manifesting as vomiting and diarrhea), resulting in nausea and vomiting.
That's the situation that happened on AIDAdiva - a luxury cruise ship of the German company AIDA Cruises.
The cruise ship departed from Hamburg, Germany, on November 10th and is expected to complete its voyage in March 2026. With a journey lasting 133 days, the ship plans to stop at numerous destinations including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, South Africa, and many other places.
However, the voyage got off to a rocky start when a Norovirus outbreak occurred on the cruise ship. More than 100 people were infected with the virus out of a total of 2,007 passengers and 640 crew members.
Those who contracted the illness all experienced severe diarrhea and vomiting and are currently in isolation. Healthcare workers are actively implementing various measures such as improving hygiene, disinfection, and collecting stool samples for testing.
According to representatives from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak began on November 30th, which is also the peak time for seasonal illnesses.
The cruise line representative said the ship is now implementing additional cleaning procedures to reduce the number of infections.
For several reasons, cruise ships are considered one of the ideal environments for the spread of viruses. According to the US CDC, this is the 21st outbreak this year.
Recently, the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, during its 13-night trip to Miami, also reported dozens of passengers infected with Norovirus. Specifically, the virus infected 71 passengers and one crew member.
"Reporting symptoms of intestinal illness is crucial. When passengers and crew inform the onboard medical center about their symptoms, it helps detect outbreaks early. From there, medical personnel can quickly implement measures to limit the spread," a representative from the U.S. CDC stated.
Meanwhile, a representative from Royal Caribbean cruise line affirmed that the company always prioritizes the health and safety of its passengers. To maintain a high standard of health and safety, the cruise line implements rigorous cleaning procedures and applies numerous measures, even exceeding the recommendations of health authorities.
According to statistics, in 2024 there were 18 outbreaks of disease on cruise ships, 15 of which were related to Norovirus. In 2023, there were 14 outbreaks, 13 of which were also caused by this virus.
The US CDC says a new, dominant strain of Norovirus is currently circulating on land, and ships often follow the same disease trends as on land.
This latest outbreak follows several similar incidents. Last July, 134 passengers and 7 crew members on the Navigator of the Seas were infected. In February, 160 passengers and 8 crew members on the Radiance of the Seas also experienced a similar situation.
Norovirus is described by the NHS (National Health Service) as "a highly contagious stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea". Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea accompanied by fever, headache, abdominal pain and body aches.