CBC News writes that all passengers are isolated in their cabins, with many having bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. The ship’s owner, Carnival Corporation, said the source of the illness has yet to be determined, but norovirus is often referred to as the “cruise ship virus.”
It is reported that the Ruby Princess cruise ship operated from February 26 to March 5. Currently, the liner has docked in Galveston, Texas, where epidemiologists are already collecting the necessary samples from passengers.
Norovirus is the causative agent of viral gastroenteritis, an infectious disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract. Among the main symptoms of the infection are diarrhea without blood, vomiting and abdominal pain. Fever or headache may also occur. Experts note that the virus is usually spread through the fecal-oral route, for example through contaminated food or water.
This isn’t the first time the Ruby Princess cruise ship has made headlines. In particular, in February 2020, the liner docked in Sydney Harbor with hundreds of infected COVID-19s. Subsequently, the number of infected people increased to 663 people, of whom 28 died.
