172 Aboard Cruise Ship Fall Ill With Norovirus

The Crown Princess cruise ship docked in California over the weekend after 172 people on board became sick with norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness.

The ship carrying more than 4,100 people was on a nearly month long voyage from Los Angeles to Hawaii to Tahiti. Some of the passengers began showing signs of illness just a few days into the voyage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and body aches. The illness is easily passed from person-to-person contact and can spread quickly in close quarters. Most people recover within three days.

The same ship suffered an outbreak of norovirus that affected 129 people in April during a seven-day cruise.

A company spokeswoman said the ship will undergo a deep cleaning and disinfecting before embarking on its next voyage.

“As it is the cold and flu season, when the stomach flu circulates on land, we encourage all of our guests to be diligent in following the widely accepted practices of frequent hand washing with soap and water and the use of hand sanitizers,” Lomax said.

These ships carry a number of risks for injuries and illness, both for passengers and crewmembers. If you or a loved one was hurt or fell ill on a cruise ship, schedule a free consultation today with a cruise injury attorneys at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers.