More Than 220 Fall Ill On Two Separate Royal Caribbean Operated Cruise Ships

Just two months after the first cruise-related norovirus outbreak occurred on a Royal Caribbean vessel, two more of the company’s ships – this time traveling along the west coasts of California and Mexico – have reported a virus has led to illness in more than 215 passengers and crew members.

Bloomberg reports that an outbreak on the company’s two-week long Legend of the Seas cruise sickened 114 passengers and two crew members, while 106 passengers on the The Infinity, a Celebrity cruise line, became ill.

Unlike other previous cruises that have been cut short with vessels returning to port, both the Legend of the Seas and The Infinity will finish their voyages, which are scheduled to end tomorrow and today, respectively.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the two ships have increased onboard cleaning and disinfection procedures. Additionally, a government health official and epidemiologist will board the ships in San Diego.

So far in 2015, the CDC says there have been five outbreaks leading passengers to be come sick. All but one of those illnesses occurred on Royal Caribbean-owned ships. The third outbreak of the year, which sickened 107 passengers, took place on the Norwegian Cruise Line-owned Norwegian Pearl.

Cruise ships are required to report the total number of gastrointestinal illnesses to the CDC when they account for more than 3% of passengers and crew. The latest outbreaks cover 7% of the passengers on Legend of the Seas and 5% of the total on The Infinity.

Royal Caribbean Passengers Suffer Vomiting Outbreak on Two Ships [Bloomberg]

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