Norovirus Outbreak Affects 88 on Holland America Cruise Ship in Caribbean

Eighty-eight people aboard a Holland America cruise ship, the Eurodam, in the Caribbean were sickened in a norovirus outbreak — the fifth striking the line since early December. The breakdown included 79 of the 2,057 guests and nine of the 834 crew members, representing about 3% of those onboard. The main symptoms reported were vomiting and diarrhea. The 10-day cruise departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with stops throughout the Caribbean.

The ship’s crew took immediate action by increasing cleaning and disinfection, isolating ill passengers and crew members, and collecting stool specimens for testing. Another Holland America Line ship, the Rotterdam, also experienced an outbreak earlier in the month, with 19 crew members and 166 passengers reporting feeling ill. The Vessel Sanitation Program has been closely monitoring and responding to these outbreaks on Holland America’s ships, as well as on other cruise lines like Cunard Line and Princess Cruises.

Holland America operates 12 ships with passenger capacities ranging from 1,432 to 2,668. The Vessel Sanitation Program tracks gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships, offering tips on healthy cruising and posting inspection scores and reports. Norovirus outbreaks are a common concern on cruise ships, with more than 90% of diarrheal disease outbreaks being linked to norovirus. Each year, there are approximately 2,500 reported norovirus outbreaks in the United States, according to the CDC.

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