Investigation Update on the Crown Princess

Cruise Line: Princess Cruises

Cruise Ship: Crown Princess

Voyage Dates: April 5-12, 2014

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 122 of 3161 (3.86%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 30 of 1176 (2.55%)

Predominant symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea

Causative agent: Norovirus and Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)

Actions: In response to the outbreak, Princess Cruises and the crew aboard the ship are taking the following actions:

• Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan,
• Making announcements to notify onboard passengers of the outbreak, encourage case reporting, and encourage hand hygiene,
• Collecting stool specimens from ill passengers and crew and made plans to send them to the CDC lab,
• Making twice daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP,
• Is consulting with CDC on plans for their comprehensive sanitation procedures in Los Angeles, California on April 12, 2014, including
  • providing additional time in port to complete their intensified sanitation barrier procedures,
  • providing additional cleaning crew to complete a thorough public and accommodation cleaning and disinfection process,
  • planning staged disembarkation for active cases to limit the opportunity of illness transmission to well guests, and
  • planning for sanitation of terminal and transport infection control procedures.

A CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officer will board the ship in Los Angeles, CA on April 12, 2014 to conduct a targeted environmental health assessment, and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Specimens are being collected and will be sent to the CDC lab for testing.