Norovirus Rears Its Ugly Head
Recently the cruise industry has been riddled with bad press. Tales of passengers going overboard, fires and pirate attacks are all graced the headlines over the past couple of months. Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse an old friend decides to show its ugly face, the Norwalk Virus. Last week Transocean Tour’s, Marco Polo had to end its scheduled 10 day British Isles Cruise early due to an outbreak of Norovirus which an astounding 44% of its passengers.
Those of you who aren’t familiar with the Norwalk Virus or Norovirus as it is commonly referred, here is a quick little introduction.
Norovirus was first discovered about 30 years ago when an outbreak occurred in Norwalk, Ohio. Norovirus is actually a group of viruses that affects the stomach and intestines. The viruses can cause inflammation of the large intestines and stomach, a condition known as Gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is often referred to as food poisoning, but the truth is the condition isn’t always related to food.
While it is possible for Norovirus to be passed by contaminated food or water, onboard cruise ships is usually spread via physical contact with either a sick person or an object he may have touched. Shaking hands, sharing glasses and utensils, even touching a contaminated doorknob are all ways that Norovirus can be passed. The most common and effective way to fight Norovirus is by simply washing your hands.
How do you know if you have Norovirus?
Well, to put it into the simplest terms possible, think of Norovirus as a stomach flu. Even though Norovirus is unrelated to influenza, symptoms are similar. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. It’s also possible the symptoms may be accompanied by a low-grade fever and headache.
How do I prevent the Norovirus from infecting me?
As I mentioned earlier the absolute best way to avoid Norovirus is by washing your hands as often as possible. The Center for disease control recommends that you wash your hands both before and after eating and smoking, after using the restroom, after touching your face and generally any time you feel your hands may be very. Also, you should limit person-to-person contact as much as possible because even though you will be taking precautions to limit your exposure others may not. Personally, I always carry a bottle of Purell anytime I cruise.
What if I contract Norovirus while on my cruise?
Typically, passengers are quarantined to their cabins so that the illness is not spread to other guests. You should visit the ship’s doctor who will give you instructions on how to best care for yourself. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water since dehydration is a common side effect due to the vomiting and diarrhea. Usually the symptoms of Norovirus only lasts between 24 and 48 hours however be advised that you may be contagious for as long as a couple of weeks after the symptoms subside.
Why does Norovirus seem to be a cruise ship disease?
The obvious reason is because passengers and crew occupy a relatively small closed in environment. It’s almost impossible to avoid person-to-person contact while on board a ship, and the truth is not everyone has the same standards of hygiene. That being said Norovirus can happen anywhere, it just doesn’t get reported. Norovirus is alot more common than you may realize but receives most of its publicity from cruise ship outbreaks. This isn’t because Norovirus is a “cruise ship disease”, it’s because cruise ships are required to report every single instance of gastrointestinal illness. There just isn’t any other place in the public health system of the United States where Norovirus is a reportable illness, if there was you would here about it almost daily. So, just because you haven’t heard of Norovirus attacking restaurants, college dormitories in movie theaters that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
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Related posts:
- New Swine Flu Screening Guidelines Aboard Cruise Ships
- Things You Need to Know About the Swine Flu Before Cruising
- Precautions Against Exposure to the Swine Flu for Cruisers
- Have We Gotten Over the Swine Flu
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[...] any time soon or are just curious this may be a good time to familiarize yourself with Norovirus. Here is a post I wrote last year about Norovirus. The post includes a description of what Norovirus is [...]