Not less than 167 passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas cruise which has been on a seven-night cruise,have fallen sick with norovirus,as spokesman for Royal Caribbean Cruises confirmed on 9th Jan.
Norovirus is the usual form of gastroenteritis in adults and grown-up children causing vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus if has direct contact with an infected person or consuming contaminated food,water or touching contaminated surfaces,then putting unwashed hands in mouth.However, these symptoms last one to three days, and most people recover completely without treatment.(Ref:mayoclinic)
“As of today, 167 cases of gastrointestinal illness have been reported since Sunday, representing 2 percent of the nearly 9,000 guests and crew on board,” spokesman Owen Torres briefed to press. All of the more than 8,000 guests aboard the ship will get a compensation for the reason of the outbreak,as said by Owen Torres.
The ship which departed from Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida on 6th Jan. and is due to return to port on 13th Jan. will now return to Florida on Saturday, a day earlier than expected.
Those affected by the virus are being treated by the ship’s medical team with over-the-counter medication.More medical staffs also joining on board to minimize the risks, the spokesman said.
“We think the right thing to do is to get everyone home early rather than have guests worry about their health,” Torres also added “Returning on Saturday also gives us more time to clean and sanitize the ship completely before her next sailing.”
The award-winning $ 1.5 billion, Oasis of the Seas is 1,187-foot long vessel weighs 226,000 tons is one of the world’s largest cruise ships which can carry a maximum of 8,880 passengers, according to Royal Caribbean.
