Investigation Update on the Caribbean Princess

Cruise Line: Princess Cruises

Cruise Ship: Caribbean Princess

Voyage Dates: January 25-February 1, 2014

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 181 of 3102 (5.8%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 11 of 1148 (0.96%)

Predominant symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea

Causative agent: Norovirus

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

• Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan,
• Making announcements to both notify onboard passengers of the outbreak and encourage case reporting,
• Collecting stool specimens from ill passengers and crew for submission to the CDC lab. Samples tested with the vessel’s onboard rapid norovirus test were positive for norovirus. The specimens will be sent to the CDC lab for confirmatory analysis,
• Making multiple daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP,
• Consulting with CDC on plans for:
  • Passenger notification procedures and the planned delayed embarkation schedule in Houston, TX on February 1, 2014,
  • Disembarkation plans for active cases, and terminal and transport infection control procedures.

Two CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officers will board the ship in Houston, TX on January 31 and February 1, 2014 to conduct an epidemiologic investigation, environmental health assessment, and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Specimens are being collected and will be sent to the CDC lab for testing.