An
illness suspected to be the gastrointestinal norovirus affected
338 passengers and 43 crew members sailing on Royal Caribbeans
Freedom of the Seas, the largest ship in the world, on its most
recent itinerary.
Royal Caribbean said
it suspected the illness was brought onboard by a passenger with
previous exposure to it, and that the sick guests responded well to
the over-the-counter medication administered onboard.
Staff from the Centers
for Disease Controls Vessel Sanitation Program boarded the ship on
Dec. 3 to conduct a targeted environmental health investigation and
an epidemiological review.
Royal Caribbean said
that it implemented a three-stage illness-prevention program with
"specific, heightened sanitation procedures for crew members, from
the captain to housekeepers," and implemented enhanced cleaning
procedures and protocols as recommended by the CDC.
Also, Royal Caribbean
said it was conducting a special cleaning of all high-touch areas
on the ship, including but not limited to countertops, rest room
and vanity surfaces, door handles, railings, grab bars, exercise
equipment, TV remote controls, light switches, elevator buttons and
computer keyboards.
Royal Caribbean will
place two additional doctors and one additional nurse on the
Freedom of the Seas. There will be a total of four doctors and four
nurses onboard.
To
contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].