Stomach flu onboard – Queen Victoria Cruise Ship, May 21st, 2020 arriving at Southampton – Courtesy: Shutterstock — Wayleebird
Health officials said that more than 130 passengers on a Cunard Cruise Line ship that sailed from Florida had unexplained diarrhea and vomiting fits.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in an advisory on Wednesday that since Queen Victoria’s departure on January 22, at least 120 passengers and 15 crew members had reported becoming ill.
It took some time to determine the gastrointestinal illness’s cause.
Diarrhea and vomiting were the most common symptoms among those on board the ship, according to the CDC.
The cruise line “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to the ship’s outbreak prevention and response plan” in response to the unexplained epidemic, the CDC said. The affected passengers and crew were quarantined.
The CDC further stated that the condition on board is now being monitored by the health agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program.
According to the CruiseMapper tracking website, the Queen Victoria ship, which has space for more than 2,000 people, departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 22 for a 16-night journey.
On February 7, the ship is expected to dock in Honolulu after stopping in San Francisco for five days.
The 2007-built cruise ship is presently on a 107-night global journey that commenced on January 11 in Southampton, UK.
The gastrointestinal crisis occurred barely one week after guests on a cruise ship stationed in Florida also contracted an unidentified disease.
After leaving Jacksonville, passengers on the Carnival Cruise Line ship Elation began complaining of stomach flu-like symptoms.
Miranda Hill, a passenger, told First Coast News that her condition was so severe that she began throwing up blue vomit.
“My throw-up was bright blue and I have never eaten anything blue and every time I look up blue throw-up, it has to deal with a poisoning,” she said.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
