Cruise ship hit with third stomach illness outbreak in two months, review underway

Health officials reported the third gastrointestinal illness outbreak in about two months aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird, pictured above, during its July Alaska voyage.(Nano Calvo/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The predominant symptoms were “vomiting [and] abdominal cramps,” the report said.As of Monday, the source of the outbreak is unknown. 

Officials reported that the ship’s crew isolated the ill passengers and crew.Officials also increased “cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan.”

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“VSP is remotely monitoring the situation, including review of theship’s outbreak responseand sanitation procedures,” the statement added.

The CDC said the cause of the outbreak remains unknown, though norovirus is a common cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships.

“Finding the agent that caused an outbreak can take time.”

“Finding the agent that caused an outbreak [meaning the causative agent] can take time,” said the VSP.“When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms [meet] the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples.”

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“In this outbreak, samples are pending confirmatory testing,” the report also noted.

The latest outbreak marks the third reported gastrointestinal illness event aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird since late May.(Nano Calvo/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Users on an online forum expressed disgust over the latest outbreak.

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“They need to use bleach to sanitize every inch of that ship,” one commenter said.

Crew members isolated sick passengers and implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures under the ship’s outbreak response plan, officials said.(Nano Calvo/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

“Gross,” another person said.

After a previous outbreak on the National Geographic Sea Bird two months ago, a Reddit user wrote, “It happens every year and all the time.”

Another wrote at the time, “My sister and I were on the Sea Bird, on the cruise [that] left Sitka on May 31st.Lindblad told us they were doing extra sanitizing of the ship.”

The incident follows a string of cruise-related health incidents that have made headlines in recent months.

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In April, a hantavirus outbreakaboard the MV Hondiusdrew international attention after it was linked to three passenger deaths.

“In this outbreak, samples are pending confirmatory testing,” said the report.(iStock)

Also in the spring, more than 100 people fell ill during a norovirus outbreak aboard theCaribbean Princess, according to the CDC.

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The National Geographic Sea Bird is a 152-foot expedition vessel carrying up to 62 guests. 

Its shallow draft allows access to narrow inlets and wildlife-rich fjords beyond the reach of larger ships.