Investigation Update on the Veendam

Cruise Line: Holland America Line

Cruise Ship: Veendam

Voyage Dates: December 20 – 27, 2015

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 73 of 1,429 (5.11%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 11 of 588 (1.87%)

Predominant symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea

Causative agent: Norovirus

Actions: In response to the outbreak, Holland America Line and the crew aboard the ship reported the following actions:

• Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan,
• Collecting stool specimens from passenger and crew gastrointestinal illness cases for testing,
• Making twice daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP,
• Consulting with CDC on plans for their comprehensive sanitation procedures in San Diego, CA on December 27, 2015, including:
  • planned staged disembarkation for active cases to limit the opportunity of illness transmission to well guests, and
  • planned sanitation of terminal and transport infection control procedures.

A CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officer will board the ship in San Diego, CA on December 27, 2015 to conduct an environmental health assessment and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Specimens have been collected and will be sent to CDC for testing.