Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Approximately 100 individuals fell ill due to an outbreak of an unidentified gastrointestinal illness on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Radiance of the Seas this week, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported on Feb. 5 that around 89 out of the 2,164 passengers on the ship were impacted by the outbreak, equating to approximately 4 percent of the passengers. The agency also mentioned that two out of the 910 crew members exhibited symptoms.
The main symptoms, as outlined by the CDC, include vomiting and diarrhea. The CDC also stated that the “causative agent” was labeled as “unknown.”
The Radiance of the Seas voyage commenced on Feb. 1 and is set to conclude on Feb. 8, with the outbreak being first reported on Feb. 5.
Affected passengers and crew members were segregated from the rest of the individuals on the cruise ship, with the CDC emphasizing enhanced “cleaning and disinfection procedures” along with the collection of samples for testing to identify the source of the outbreak.
Officials from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program are currently “remotely monitoring the situation, including reviewing the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures,” the statement added.
Although the specific cause of the outbreak was not disclosed, the CDC pointed out that norovirus is typically the culprit behind outbreaks on cruise ships, noting that “identifying the agent that caused an outbreak … can be time-consuming.”
“When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms met the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples. These samples are tested to determine the causative agent,” the CDC said.
Since the beginning of 2025, the CDC has documented six outbreaks on cruise ships, including the Radiance of the Seas journey. Three of these outbreaks were attributed to norovirus, while one was linked to E. coli and another was “presumed” to be caused by ciguatera fish poisoning, according to the agency.
Cruise ships are mandated to report cases where individuals exhibit symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, along with other associated symptoms, to the CDC, the agency has specified.
Norovirus Case Updates
Instances of norovirus have been on the rise in certain parts of the United States during the winter, according to government statistics.
The most recent data from the CDC indicates that there were 97 norovirus outbreaks reported during the week of Jan. 9, a decrease from the 128 outbreaks reported the previous week. Historical data shows a peak of 65 outbreaks reported during the first week of December 2024.
An infection of norovirus is characterized by sudden onset vomiting and diarrhea. Outbreaks are commonly observed on cruise ships, in communal living settings such as nursing homes and correctional facilities, as well as in educational institutions and other places where people are in close proximity.
In an average year, as per the CDC, norovirus results in between 19 million and 21 million cases of vomiting and diarrhea, 109,000 hospitalizations, and 900 fatalities across the U.S. The virus is also linked to around 495,000 visits to the emergency department, primarily among young children, the CDC reports. The majority of outbreaks occur between November and April.
If there is a new strain of the virus, there can be up to a 50 percent increase in norovirus cases, the agency highlighted. Norovirus outbreaks frequently occur in health care facilities, long-term care facilities, restaurants, child care centers, schools, and cruise ships.
The Epoch Times reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment on Friday.
Contributions from The Associated Press to this article.
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