Cruise Ship Evacuated Following Norovirus Outbreak

The final day of a Princess Cruises sailing was marred when a norovirus outbreak forced some 2,000 passengers to evacuate in Singapore on Wednesday.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) told The New Paper that at least 229 passengers and crew aboard the Sun Princess were stricken by the unpleasant gastrointestinal illness.

According to the MPA 189 of those affected by the virus, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea, have since recovered.

The cruise line confirmed that both the ship and terminal were thoroughly cleaned in the wake of the outbreak.

“The vast majority of the 2,000 guests on Sun Princess were unaffected but it takes relatively few cases of illness to be reported for on-board sanitation measures to be increased,” a Carnival Australia spokesman told The Sun. “Creating and maintaining a healthy on-board environment is always a priority with the highest public health standards employed based on best international practice.”

“On-board sanitation was swiftly stepped up following some guests reporting gastrointestinal symptoms confirmed as being due to norovirus,” he added. “Out of an abundance of care and in line with best practice, extra cleaning of the terminal was also carried out on Wednesday.”

Sun Princess originally set sail on the 12-night voyage from Perth, Australia on November 1. The ship has resumed its sailing schedule. However, some passengers chose to fly back to Australia.

Earlier this year, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that fewer than a dozen cruise ships reported major outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses in 2018.

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