Virus nightmare on the Queen Mary 2: Over 200 passengers affected!

Virus nightmare on the Queen Mary 2: Over 200 passengers affected!

A serious norovirus outbreak has struck the cruise ship Queen Mary 2, which is currently on a 29-day voyage from the United Kingdom to the Caribbean via New York. Over 200 of the 2,538 passengers and 17 crew members are affected. The affected people were isolated to prevent the further spread of the virus and extensive disinfection measures were taken on board, such as Cosmo reported.

The first reports of symptoms reached health authorities after a stopover in New York in March. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the passengers experienced sudden, severe symptoms, typically in the form of vomiting diarrhea. These symptoms usually subside after 0.5 to 2 days Focus reported.

Coast guard and measures on board

In accordance with current CDC protocols, infections on board will be accurately documented. There are different levels of measures, depending on the number of cases, ranging from “green” for fewer than 10 sick people to “red” for strict measures, including the closure of buffets. The Queen Mary 2 is scheduled to return to the UK on April 6th, allowing passengers to end their journey as quickly as possible.

Norovirus is known to be one of the most contagious viruses, similarly infectious to measles. There has been a surge in norovirus outbreaks on American cruise ships in recent years, which in 2024 were among the worst in over a decade, according to the CDC, as RTL points out.

Prevention and safety tips

Norovirus infection occurs mainly through contaminated water and food, which is why high hygiene is particularly important.

Here are some prevention measures:

• Toilettendeckel vor dem Spülen schließen.
• Hände gründlich mit Seife waschen, inklusive der Zwischenräume.
• Hohe Hygienestandards im Bad einhalten.
• Badezimmer gründlich reinigen und mit viruzid plus Desinfektionsmitteln desinfizieren.

Infants, small children, pregnant women, the elderly and weakened people are particularly at risk of norovirus infections. During the acute phase of the illness, it is important to maintain high fluid intake to prevent dehydration. After recovery, it is advised to initially work from home in order not to endanger others.