The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that 170 passengers aboard the Radiance of the Seas experienced gastrointestinal (GI) issues, including diarrhea and abdominal cramps. According to the CDC, during the recent cruise from September 20th to September 27th, 167 out of 2,172 passengers (7.69%) reported feeling unwell. Additionally, three out of 894 crew members (0.34%) also exhibited GI symptoms.
The CDC has not specified the type of GI infection involved in this outbreak. Among the last ten reported GI infections this year, seven were linked to norovirus, one was caused by E. coli, while the other two cases remain unidentified. As is typical, the CDC did not provide details on how the outbreak occurred or propose a likely source for the infections.
It is widely recognized by both the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that norovirus outbreaks are generally caused by contaminated food or water, and this virus can also spread through airborne particles. However, cruise lines often place the blame on their passengers, regardless of the circumstances.
Out of the last ten GI outbreak incidents on cruise ships, six were associated with vessels owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., which includes ships operated by Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.
This is not the first occurrence of GI issues on the Radiance of the Seas; the ship has experienced two outbreaks this year, with the most recent instance in April, attributed to norovirus.
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Image credit: Radiance of the Seas – Fletcher6 CC BY-SA 3.0 commons wikimedia; abdomen – egeamedical.com.
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