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7h ago

Unknown Gastrointestinal Outbreak Hits 141 on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program has launched an investigation with specimens already collected for testing to determine the outbreak’s cause.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: An aerial view from a drone shows Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Sea cruise ship docked at PortMiami on March 02, 2021 in Miami, Florida. Royal Caribbean Group announced plans to use the proceeds from a $1.5 billion sale of shares to pay off debt stemming from the pandemic. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The Navigator of the Seas cruise ship while docked at the CocoCay port where people can enjoy the private beach, food, drinks, and activities, Bahamas, October 12, 2019.
Navigator of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International.

Overview

  • During the July 4–11 voyage from Los Angeles to Mexico, 134 of 3,914 passengers and seven of 1,266 crew members reported vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
  • The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program is monitoring the situation remotely and has collected stool specimens as health officials work to identify the unknown pathogen.
  • Royal Caribbean activated its outbreak response plan by isolating affected individuals and stepping up cleaning and disinfection protocols onboard.
  • This marks the 18th cruise ship gastrointestinal outbreak in 2025 to meet CDC notification criteria, matching last year’s total as a new norovirus strain gains ground.
  • Experts say cruise cases follow land-based norovirus trends and that pinpointing the causative agent can take weeks of laboratory analysis.