CDC Confirms Norovirus on 3rd Straight SC Cruise

[steven johnson]

Norovirus epidemics are really unpleasant, having been involved in one in the US several years ago.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 29, 2010
Filed at 11:00 a.m. ET

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say tests confirm that norovirus caused intestinal illness on a third straight cruise from South Carolina earlier this month.

The norovirus sickened almost 420 people aboard Celebrity Mercury, which returned to Charleston on March 18. Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.

The Mercury then underwent three days of extensive cleaning. There were no problems when the ship sailed on a fourth cruise last week.

The Celebrity was back in Charleston on Monday preparing to board another cruise.

On two previous cruises this year, hundreds of passengers were sickened by norovirus on the same ship. The norovirus can spread quickly in close quarters.


CDC Confirms Norovirus on 3rd Straight SC Cruise

[HereSince1628]

1. Is there a Noro-Norman in the crew or is this a problem in provisioning?

Definitely not a great part of the cruise package.

[Heddi]

2. Norovirus has been going around the nursing homes in my area of FL (I'm an ER RN)

One nursing home had about 98% of their residents spending a few days with us a few weeks ago because of Norovirus outbreaks. Nothing better than 200 80 year old with explosive diarrhea and projectile vomiting...especially the ones in full-blown dementia.

Then they (the nursing home) got cleaned up and everyone was happy and healthy until...

the NEXT nursing home got it, and everyone there came through the ER, just a' pukin' and a poopin' all over the place.

It went through like 4 nursing homes before they could figure out the culprit (culprits) was actually 2 family members who worked at the nursing homes---1 was a kitchen worker at 2 nursing homes and one was a CNA that worked at several nursing homes in the area, just infecting everyone like a modern day Typhoid Marys.

Every day when I got home from work I'd have to wash my scrubs and shoes separately because it's SO contagious. And I'd take 2 showers just to make sure it was all off of me. Horrible, horrible weeks.

That was a month or 2 ago. NOw we're starting to see them come back in in dribs and drabs...not nursing home this time, but people in the community. Everyone has the shits and pukes these days. People need to wash their hands better....