The CDC has issued a cruise ship illness outbreak alert for the Norwegian Gem. The report states that during the November 13-25 voyage 111 passengers and 3 crew members reported being ill with vomiting and/or diarrhea. In response to the outbreak NCL, the operator of the Norwegian Gem, increased cleaning and disinfecting procedures as well as collected stool specimens for testing by the CDC. The cruise ship currently makes weekly voyages from New York City.
How Cruise Ship Illness Spreads
Being that thousand passengers and crew members interact for extended periods of time in confined spaces aboard the cruise ships like the Norwegian Gem, gastrointestinal illness can spread rapidly. In cases of Norovirus, a person can remain a carrier for two weeks after the symptoms have passed. Cruise line practices also fuel outbreaks. It is routine procedure for many cruise lines to send their crew members back to work after illness symptoms have disappeared. This means crew members who are still carrying Norovirus often times unwittingly pass the virus along to passengers while serving food and handling objects in the cabin and common areas.
Our Law Firm’s Experience Representing Ill Cruise Passengers
Besides becoming violently ill, some people experience other serious health issues that stem from being infected with Norovirus. This law firm has represented passengers who suffered heart attacks, significant infections and even death caused by the taxation to the body Norovirus causes. If you had a life altering event caused by Norovirus contracted from a cruise, our cruise illness attorneys would like to speak with you.
