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More than 200 people fell sick recently on a Cunard Line cruise ship due to a norovirus outbreak.
The Queen Mary 2 left Southampton, England, on March 8. It traveled to New York and the Caribbean. The cruise is scheduled to end today, April 6 in Southampton, England. It touched base in St. Kitts on March 24th.
The norovirus outbreak on the Queen Mary 2 was reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 18, 2025. This indicates that passengers began exhibiting symptoms of illness around that date during the voyage that started on March 8, 2025.
Cases reported are totals for the entire voyage. It does not mean all people are sick at the same time, such as when they arrive or leave a port or ship.
According to the CDC, 224 of the 2,538 passengers and 17 of the 1,232 crew members became ill. Norovirus spreads easily through dirty food or water. It causes diarrhea, vomiting, and other stomach problems.
To handle the outbreak, the ship’s crew followed special cleaning rules. They cleaned and disinfected more often and isolated people who were sick. They also took stool samples to test for norovirus. The crew worked with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program for advice.
A Cunard spokesperson told USA TODAY that only a small number of guests reported feeling sick. Still, the crew did a deep clean of the ship and followed health and safety rules right away.
Another cruise ship, the Seabourn Encore, also had a norovirus outbreak recently. On that ship, 12 passengers and 22 crew members got sick. That cruise started on March 16 and is expected to end on April 9 in Miami after visiting central American ports.
Source: CDC.
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