224 passengers17 crewnen are struck down by norovirus outbreak on board vessel

 

At least 224 passengers and 17 crew members have fallen ill on board Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2,a luxury Britain-bound cruise ship  which is expected to dock in Southampton on Sunday

The Queen Mary 2 departed from Southampton on March 8 for a 29-night voyage visiting ports in the eastern Caribbean and New York City.

But 10 days into the journey a norovirus outbreak was reported to the US Center for Disease Control's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), the government agency reports.

Nearly nine per cent of the 2,538 passengers onboard the ship have fallen ill, as well as 1.4 per cent of the vessel's 1,232-person crew.  

The CDC says that affected travellers are predominantly displaying symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, which are common to norovirus infection

Norovirus, commonly referred to as the 'stomach bug', is a 'very contagious virus' that is spread through contaminated food and water and person-to-person contact.

Most people infected with norovirus will get better within one to three days, but can remain contagious for up to 14 days, according to the CDC. The infection can cause gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach or intestines, and dehydration

In response to the norovirus outbreak, the Queen Mary 2 crew has 'increased cleaning and disinfection procedures' on the ship in accordance to the vessel's outbreak prevention and response plan.

Officials have placed ill passengers and crew in isolation and 'collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing', the CDC reports. 

Crew have also been in coordination with the VSP about 'sanitation cleaning procedures' and 'reporting ill cases'.

The CDC notes that reported cases include totals for an entire voyage and does not indicate that all passengers were ill at the same time.

The Queen Mary 2 is set to return to England on Sunday after 29 nights at sea, according to the itinerary detailed on Cunard Line's website

The ship docked at ports in Sint Maarten, St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts, the UK Virgin Islands and New York City during the voyage - which cost passengers a minimum of £2,249 per person. 

Staterooms range from £2,799 per person for an interior cabin and up to £8,549 for a suite, according quotes outlined on travel agency websites.

The Queen Mary 2 (pictured) departed from Southampton on March 8 for a 29-night voyage visiting ports in the eastern Caribbean and New York City. It will return to England on Sunday

People infected with norovirus typically develop symptoms within 12 to 48 hours of exposure to the virus.  The most common symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain, although some patients report having fevers, headaches, and body aches. 

The infection is known to cause dehydration, the CDC warns, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses.