Gastrointestinal Illness Outbreak Sickens 12 Aboard National Geographic Sea Bird Cruise

A gastrointestinal illness outbreak hit the National Geographic Sea Bird cruise ship during a late-May voyage in Alaska, leaving nearly one in seven passengers and crew members sick with vomiting and diarrhea, according to federal health officials.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vessel Sanitation Program published details of the outbreak on Monday. The voyage ran from May 26 through May 31, where of the 66 passengers aboard, nine reported falling ill, or 13.6 percent. Among the 24 crew members, three fell ill, representing 12.5 percent of the ship’s staff. Combined, 12 people were affected across the five-day trip.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NTD News.

The causative agent behind the illness has not yet been identified. Officials noted that determining what sparked an outbreak takes time—samples of stool or vomit are typically collected from those whose symptoms match the agency’s case definition for acute gastroenteritis. However in this instance, no such samples were provided. The CDC defines acute gastroenteritis as three or more loose stools within a 24-hour period beyond what is normal for a person, or vomiting accompanied by at least one of the following: diarrhea, muscle ache, headache, abdominal cramps, or fever.

The agency was notified of the outbreak on May 28, just two days into the voyage, and remotely monitored the situation, reviewing the ship’s response measures and sanitation procedures.

Lindblad Expeditions, which operates the National Geographic Sea Bird, ramped up cleaning and disinfecting protocols after the illnesses were reported, in-line with standard response procedures. Those who fell ill were isolated and crew members on the voyage consulted with health officials on sanitation and reporting procedures. The ship is presently operating in Alaska, according to CruiseMapper.

While norovirus is the most frequent culprit in gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships, health officials cautioned that it isn’t always confirmed at the outset of an investigation. The virus—sometimes also called the “stomach flu,” though it is unrelated to influenza—inflames the stomach and intestines and spreads easily through contact with anyone infected, contaminated surfaces, or food and drinks handled by someone who is sick, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Symptoms typically surface within 12 to 48 hours and last one to three days, and the virus can remain contagious for up to 48 hours after symptoms subside and linger in the body for as long as two weeks.

A String of Cruise Ship Outbreaks

The incident is the latest in a string of cruise ship outbreaks that federal health officials have been tracking this year. In May, the CDC reported that more than 100 passengers and a dozen crew members fell ill aboard Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess during an April 28 to May 11 sailing out of Port Everglades.

In that case, 102 of 3,116 passengers—about 3.3 percent—and 13 of 1,131 crew members reported symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. The CDC confirmed norovirus as the cause and launched a field investigation, while Princess Cruises said it carried out a “comprehensive cleaning and disinfection” of the ship before its next departure from Port Canaveral.

Before that, Hong Kong health authorities reported in March that 76 people—65 passengers and 11 crew members—experienced acute gastroenteritis aboard Holland America Line’s MS Westerdam during an Asian itinerary that included stops in Japan, South Korea’s Busan, and Shanghai. Laboratory testing of stool samples confirmed traces of norovirus. Investigators from Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection boarded the ship when it docked on March 1, and a temporary clinic was established at the terminal to screen leaving travelers.

Health officials consistently advise cruise travelers to wash hands frequently with soap and water, avoid handling food when sick, and report any gastrointestinal symptoms immediately to onboard medical staff. Hand sanitizer alone is not effective against norovirus. The CDC also notes that illness counts in its outbreak reports reflect the total number of cases reported over an entire voyage—not the number of people sick at any one time.

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