Outbreak Updates for International Cruise Ships

When sailing from a foreign port to a U.S. port, cruise ships participating in the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) are required to report the total number of gastrointestinal (GI) illness cases–including zero–evaluated by the medical staff at least 24 hours before the ship arrives at the U.S. port.

VSP also requires cruise ships to send a separate notification when the GI illness count exceeds 2% of the total number of passengers or crew onboard.

Data on this page are from these surveillance reports and from CDC-led investigations. The GI illness cases reported are totals for the entire voyage and do not represent the number of active (symptomatic) GI cases at any given port of call or at disembarkation.

Cruise ship outbreak updates are posted when they meet the following criteria:

• Fall within the purview of VSP (see about VSP),
• Are sailing on voyages from 3-21 days,
• Are carrying 100 or more passengers, and
• Are cruise ships in which 3% or more of passengers or crew reported symptoms of diarrheal disease to the ships medical staff during the voyage.

VSP may also post outbreak updates for gastrointestinal illness outbreaks of public health significance.

CDC has not verified all of the case numbers represented in the following updates.

Year

2017	2009	2001
2016	2008	2000
2015	2007	1999
2014	2006	1998
2013	2005	1997
2012	2004	1996
2011	2003	1995
2010	2002	1994