CDC Cruise Ship Inspector Layoffs Strain Norovirus Outbreak Response

HHS cuts to fee-funded positions leave Vessel Sanitation Program with minimal staff during record norovirus surge.

All full-time CDC cruise ship inspectors have been laid off, leaving only 12 U.S. Public Health Service officers to sustain operations.
The layoffs come during a record surge in norovirus outbreaks, driven by a new strain, with at least a dozen outbreaks reported this year.
Despite being funded by cruise ship fees and not taxpayer dollars, the positions were eliminated as part of broader HHS staffing cuts by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The remaining team faces significant challenges in conducting inspections and outbreak investigations, with only one epidemiologist, still in training, available.
Former CDC officials warn that the drastic cuts could undermine the program’s ability to regulate cruise ship health and safety effectively.