CDC investigating after more than 300 sickened aboard Princess Cruises ship
Princess Cruises says 'likely' cause was common Norovirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak aboard a Princess Cruises ship that sickened more than 300 passengers and crew.
The Ruby Princess returned to Galveston, Texas, on Monday after 284 passengers and 34 crew members reported gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC said. It is unclear what caused the symptoms, according to the agency.
The sickened passengers made up 9.9% of the total 2,881 passengers aboard the ship, while the crew members who fell ill made up 2.9% of the total 1,1259 crew.
The cruise ship had departed Galveston on Feb. 26 for a cruise in the Caribbean and returned to Galveston on Monday.
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The Ruby Princess cruise ship returned to Galveston, Texas, on Monday after 284 passengers and 34 crew members reported gastrointestinal illness during the trip. ( James D. Morgan/Getty Images, File / Getty Images)
The CDC said the total number of cases represent the illnesses reported throughout the entire trip and were not active all at one time while at any port or disembarkation in Galveston.
Princess Cruises told FOX News Digital that the cause of the illness was likely "the common but contagious virus called Norovirus."
The CDC is investigating what caused the passengers and crew members to experience vomiting and diarrhea. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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The crew immediately acted to stop the spread of the illness between passengers, initiating sanitation procedures which included disinfecting high-touch surfaces and isolating ill passengers in their cabins, a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The Ruby Princess was disinfected ahead of its next voyage to the Caribbean, a spokesperson said. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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The ship also underwent an additional disinfection on March 5 in Galveston ahead of its next departure as an added precaution, Princess Cruises said.
The Ruby Princess is now on a seven-day western Caribbean cruise, and will return to Galveston on March 12.