Norovirus on CB?

[crazycruiselady]

I'm sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Nov. 23. (only 4 more days:D) I was wondering if anyone knows if there was a norovirus outbreak on this weeks cruise (Nov. 16-23). If so, how does it affect embarkation, dining rooms, buffets, the pools, etc.? Do they thoroughly disinfect the entire ship, including the cabins, so there's less chance of us getting it? I have some Cipro left from a trip to Ecuador, does that help if I do get the virus? I've been looking forward to this cruise for so long I'd hate to get sick!

Can't wait until Sunday:):):):):)!

[katisdale]

No, Cipro does not help with a virus. It is an antibiotic and works against bacteria. Noro is everywhere. If you have been at a school, a store or church this week you have been exposed. Probably someone on your flight will have it as well as a fellow cruiser or two. Wash your hands frequently and keep your hands away from your face. It does help to wash your hands after touching surfaces like handrails and door knobs or shaking hands.

[mcclure2]

I absolutely agree with Katisdale, wash & sanitize. We took our own pocket size bottle of sanitizer with us and used it anytime we touched doors, railings, elevator buttons etc. The virus is everywhere not just cruise ships, it's actually something that is brought onboard the ship by crew or passengers the only reason you hear so much about it in the news when there is an outbreak is because it's a contained area and it spreads so fast.

[mcclure2]

oops sorry for the double post!

[Pam in CA]

If you believe the media, Norovirus is only on ships. :) However, it's everywhere: in schools, churches, planes, trains, the subway... it's very common. The only way it can get onboard a ship is if someone who is sick boards and then doesn't stay in their cabin or report it to the Medical Center. They then spread the virus everywhere they go. The ship wipes down surfaces, such as stairway handrails, doorknobs, etc. constantly as regular maintenance.

 

Wash your hands thoroughly, use disinfectant, use your cabin bathroom if at all possible and just be aware that you need to keep clean.

 

Should an outbreak happen on the ship, the cabin is completely cleaned and scrubbed, the buffet becomes "service only," i.e., you are served by waitstaff, and the bread, butter and condiments on the table in the buffet and dining room are service only as well.

 

Please, do not listen to anyone who tells you that if you have an intestinal bug to treat it yourself and not report it to the Medical Center because then you'll be quarantined and miss part of your cruise. It's idiots like this who spread the virus. :(

[Berliner]

I'm sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Nov. 23. (only 4 more days:D) I was wondering if anyone knows if there was a norovirus outbreak on this weeks cruise (Nov. 16-23). If so, how does it affect embarkation, dining rooms, buffets, the pools, etc.? Do they thoroughly disinfect the entire ship, including the cabins, so there's less chance of us getting it? I have some Cipro left from a trip to Ecuador, does that help if I do get the virus? I've been looking forward to this cruise for so long I'd hate to get sick!...

 

can and will be happen as long as such things going on.From our second week on the CB Nov 2nd-9th diapers in the pool.:eek:

[marie61]

The reason everyone believes that Noro runs rampant on cruise ships is because the ships are obligated by law to report outbreaks when a certain percentage of the passengers are infected...and it's quite a low percentage.

 

No where else has the same reporting requirements. My school had a severe outbreak this fall--we knew because so many teachers and students were sick but we just kept going...that's what you do.

 

Just follow all the above advice to avoid catching it...but it is all around us all the time.

[dcrow72]

I checked the CDC website that has reports of all cruise ship outbreaks and the CB outbreak is officially closed after the 10/26 sailing. We were on that sailing and the embarkation was delayed for sanitization of the ship and precautions were still in place til about 1/2 way through. Only about 5% of passengers were affected which is great considering how virulent the virus actually is. It lives on hard surfaces for quite some time which makes it so easy to catch. It's all around and nursing homes frequently have outbreaks as well as schools. An outbreak is considered any percentage of people affected over the normal expected illness. In other words, if 1% of people on a certain cruise usually become ill with GI symptoms and all of a sudden you hit 3%, it's considered an outbreak and has to be reported. Use sanitizers especially at the buffet and try not to touch common objects like rails (I use my elbows). Have fun and don't worry.

[Pam in CA]

can and will be happen as long as such things going on.From our second week on the CB Nov 2nd-9th diapers in the pool.:eek:

Ewwww!!! I am SO glad I don't go into the pool or hot tub. Too many people who think it's their cruise and the heck with anyone else.

[LegalEagle2012]

I heard an item on a UK radio station concerning an outbreak on Diamond Princess and several people complaining about Princess - just caught the end of it and will wait to hear more and report later.

 

K

[dcrow72]

you can go to CDC.gov and check out vessel sanitation program and read the reports of all the outbreaks through the years. Seems Princess and HAL have quite a few every year. It's pretty current too.

[crazycruiselady]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll definitely check out the CDC site. I work in a middle school so hopefully my body has developed an immunity.

[kerryw29]

can and will be happen as long as such things going on.From our second week on the CB Nov 2nd-9th diapers in the pool.:eek:

 

and i bet it was the "adults" pool

[Philip217]

From the CDC Website Vessel Outbreak Summary Report:

 

For 2008, vessels reporting outbreaks of 3% or more:

 

HAL 6

NCL 4

Princess 2

Carnival 1

RCCL 0

[juggles]

I was furious many times on my last cruise to see passengers pick up a bread roll with their hands instead of the tongs and then put it back and select another one. Consequently I never got to eat a bread roll

[Chesie]

From the CDC Website Vessel Outbreak Summary Report:

 

For 2008, vessels reporting outbreaks of 3% or more:

 

HAL 6

NCL 4

Princess 2

Carnival 1

RCCL 0

 

Not sure who the 2 were for Princess and the last update. We were on the Grand last month and 3 days before arriving back to port we were told 13 came down with noro. Next day it rose to 120. However, the day we were told 13 cases identified was the day after we boarded from Cairo Egypt. Who knows if they were all noro or water/food.

[956wenbrook]

Thought this may help. (I did not write).

 

Norovirus Fact Sheet

 

What is norovirus?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses (previously known as Norwalk-like viruses) that can cause gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the USA.

This infection is often mistakenly referred to as the “stomach flu” – it is not related to the flu (influenza), which is a common respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus.

What are the symptoms?

 

Common symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Less common symptoms can include low-grade fever or chills, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms usually begin 1 or 2 days after ingesting the virus, but may appear as early as 12 hours after exposure. The illness often comes on suddenly. The infected person may feel very sick and vomit often, sometimes without warning, many times a day. Sometimes people infected with norovirus have no symptoms at all, but can still pass the illness to others.

How long does it last?

 

Most people recover in 1 or 2 days and have no long-term adverse health effects. Sometimes, infected people may experience milder symptoms for a week or more.

How is it spread?

 

Noroviruses are found in the stool (feces) or vomit of infected people. From there, noroviruses are transferred to food, water, or surfaces by the hands of infected people who have not washed adequately after using the bathroom.

People become infected with norovirus by:

• Eating food or drinking liquids contaminated by an infected person.
  
• Eating uncooked shellfish that has been harvested from contaminated waters.
  
• Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching their mouth or eating without washing their hands first.
  

What should I do if I have symptoms?

 

• Drink plenty of fluids so you don’t become dehydrated.
  
• Wash your hands often.
  
• Contact your health care provider (but remember that antibiotics don’t treat viruses).
  

How can I prevent norovirus infections?

 

• Wash your hands often!
  
  • After using the bathroom
    
  • After changing diapers
    
  • Before preparing foods
    
  • Before eating
    
    • Wash your hands more often when someone in your household is sick.
      

  [*]Clean and disinfect surfaces with household bleach immediately after vomiting or diarrheal accidents.

  [*]Wash and/or peel fruits and vegetables before eating them.

  [*]Steam oysters before eating them.

  [*]Avoid preparing food for others while you have symptoms and for at least 3 days after you recover.

[Berliner]

and i bet it was the "adults" pool

 

no that was taken over by the "Boys".It was the Lotus Pool,beside that they played volley ball in the Lotus Pool too.

[juggles]

I was furious many times on my last cruise to see passengers pick up a bread roll with their hands instead of the tongs and then put it back and select another one. Consequently I never got to eat a bread roll

 

 

Does anyone agree? That, that is obviously how the bug spreads by dirty people?

I keep being ignored on here, is it a clique or something? Should I disappear?

[chrysalis]

I was furious many times on my last cruise to see passengers pick up a bread roll with their hands instead of the tongs and then put it back and select another one. Consequently I never got to eat a bread roll

 

On the Tahitian this summer, a person beside me in the buffet picked up a roll with her hands, dropped it on the floor, picked it back up with her hands, and returned it to the breadbasket on the counter.

 

I was dumbfounded......

 

The best bet for the buffet is to never, ever watch how people get their food...the second best bet is to never eat anything with your hands from the buffet...knife and fork eating only.

[cruisinfever]

I kinda laugh when I read this thread about the food because most people would not eat at restaurants, or stay in hotels if they saw some of the kitchens in restaurants or how hotel rooms are cleaned.

I once stayed in a Quality INN in Orlando and turned the bed down to go to sleep and found dirty tissues between the sheets. UGH!! - Then I thought thank God the tissues were there otherwise I would have slept in those sheets.

My husband use to do deliveries for a food wholesale and he would tell me the restaurants which we could not go to because of the dirty kitchens. Many of the restaurants were very popular.

 

I think people are getting too germaphobic and that we are creating all of the superbugs by not letting our bodies develop its own immunity. I am a nurse and totally believe in washing hands frequently but we are going overboard at times.