Investigation Update on the ms Ryndam
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Cruise Line: Holland America Line
Cruise Ship: ms Ryndam
Voyage Dates: December 11 – 18, 2011
Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 69 of 1298 (5.32%)
Number of ill crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 6 of 574 (1.05%)
Predominant symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea
Causative agent: Norovirus
Actions: In response to the outbreak, Holland America Line and the crew aboard the ship have taken the following actions:
- Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures in accordance with their outbreak prevention and response plan,
- Made daily announcements by the Captain to both notify passengers of the outbreak and encourage case reporting,
- Collected stool specimens from ill passengers and crew for submission to the CDC lab,
- Made twice daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP, and
- Consulted with CDC on plans for:
- Informing embarking passengers on the following voyage about this outbreak and the planned delayed embarkation schedule,
- Providing additional staff and time for thorough public and accommodation super-sanitization cleaning and disinfection during an extended period between disembarkation and embarkation,
- Disembarkation plans for active cases, terminal and transport infection control procedures, and
- Additional management monitoring, and documentation of planned cleaning and disinfection protocols.
A CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officer and an epidemiologist boarded the ship on arrival in Tampa, FL on December 18, 2011 to conduct a targeted environmental health assessment and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Ship crew completed a full comprehensive super-sanitation turn around between disembarking and embarking passengers. Stool specimens were sent to the CDC lab for testing, which revealed that this outbreak was caused by Norovirus.
- Page last reviewed: December 16, 2011 (archived document)
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