Food Poisoning Outbreak on Cruise Ship, Gov’t Investigating

An outbreak of virally caused food poisoning has just occurred on a cruise ship, making 124 people violently ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The food poisoning of 114 passengers and 10 crewmembers was caused by the consumption of food contaminated with norovirus, which causes a swelling of the stomach and intestines. Common symptoms of this recent outbreak were vomiting and diarrhea.

The week-long Caribbean voyage of the Holland America cruise ship ms Veendam ended this past weekend after over 100 passengers started complaining about incidents of food-poisoning related illness. This was a small population, compared to the 1,273 total passengers and 575 crewmembers the Veendam carried, but warranted needing the cruise ship's 7-day voyage early. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating the source of the food contamination, but remain confident that it was isolated to the vessel.

Norovirus is a common cause of food poisoning but is not bacterially caused. The virus is most commonly mistaken for "stomach flu" according to the CDC, and unlike the influenza virus, is not a reparatory virus. Thank means, thankfully, thank the virus is not an airborne sickness. Instead, it spreads through unsanitary contact and contaminated food. The CDC estimates that 20 million cases of norovirus affect U.S. citizens annually. It will also cause 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and 570 to 800 deaths each year in the U.S. alone, primarily among weakened and elderly victims. For the average healthy individual, the virus is naturally fought off after infection in a matter of days.

This is the third case of a norovirus outbreak in Caribbean cruise ships in the last couple of months. The CDC reported that a norovirus outbreak on the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas infected more than 600 passengers last month, making it one of the biggest norovirus outbreaks on a cruise ship in the past two decades.

With this latest outbreak, it seems very likely that the CDC will be paying special attention to food preparation and sanitation on future Caribbean voyages. According to the CDC, inspectors had found multiple sanitation violations in the Veendam last September.

The Holland America responded to inquiries from CNN, calling the unsatisfactory score and the most recent food-poisoning outbreak "unacceptable" and an "aberration" compared to their usual sanitation standards.