More than 100 people fell ill during a norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship while it was sailing through the Caribbean. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that 102 passengers and 13 crewmembers experienced symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea during the April 28 to May 11 voyage. The ship, carrying 3,116 passengers, was en route to Nassau in the Bahamas from Port Everglades in Florida, and as of Saturday was located north of the Dominican Republic. Princess Cruises stated that "a limited number of individuals" reported mild gastrointestinal illness and that enhanced sanitation measures were quickly implemented, including thorough disinfection of all areas and additional cleaning throughout the journey. Sick individuals were isolated, and stool samples were collected for testing. Passengers Jan van Milligen, traveling with relatives and friends from South Africa, and Donna Leonte from Florida, both reported that onboard life continued largely as normal despite the outbreak. Van Milligen said they attended a show, had meals, and received timely updates from the crew, who enforced strict hygiene protocols. Buffet services were modified so staff served food instead of self-service, and hand-washing stations were actively manned with sanitizers widely available. Leonte, celebrating her 21st wedding anniversary, said precautions were effective and that no activities were missed. The CDC requires cruise lines to report gastrointestinal outbreaks when at least 3% of passengers or crew are affected. The Caribbean Princess will undergo comprehensive cleaning at Port Canaveral on May 11 before its next departure. A similar norovirus outbreak affected over 150 people on another Princess Cruises vessel in March.
Princess Cruises insists the outbreak was minor, yet more than 100 people fell ill on a single voyage, triggering mandatory CDC reporting rules. The company's claim of swift action contrasts with the scale of infection, suggesting containment measures may lag behind transmission speed in confined spaces. If buffet changes and sanitizing stations are effective, their delayed rollout across the fleet after a prior outbreak raises questions about preventive planning. No African passengers were cited beyond van Milligen's South African travel group, and no direct Nigerian links were mentioned.
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