Investigation Update on the Celebrity Summit

Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruise Lines

Cruise Ship: Celebrity Summit

Voyage Dates: September 21 – October 5, 2013

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 322 of 2112 (15.3%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 13 of 952 (1.4%)

Predominant symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea

Causative agent: Norovirus

Actions: In response to the outbreak, Celebrity Cruise Lines and the crew aboard the ship have taken the following actions:

• Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan,
• Collected stool specimens from ill passengers and crew and offloaded them in Halifax, Canada for testing by Health Canada, with results positive for Norovirus
• Made announcements to both notify onboard passengers of the outbreak and encourage case reporting,
• Made reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP twice daily
• Consulted with CDC on plans for:
  • Passenger notification procedures and turnaround plans scheduled to take place in Bayonne, New Jersey on 5 October,
  • Disembarkation plans for active cases, terminal and transport infection control procedures.

VSP worked with Health Canada officials as the ship sailed in Canada on its way to Bayonne, New Jersey (arrival in the US was October 5, 2013). VSP provided remote monitoring and support from Atlanta, GA and conducted a field response. VSP sent an Epidemiologist and an Environmental Health Officer to meet the ship and conduct and epidemiologic investigation, targeted environmental health assessment, and monitor the sanitation procedures onboard prior to the embarkation of new passengers on October 5, 2013 in Bayonne, New Jersey. Specimens were collected and offloaded in Halifax, Canada for testing in Health Canada’s laboratory, confirming the cause of the outbreak is norovirus