Investigation Update on the Grandeur of the Seas

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Cruise Ship: Grandeur of the Seas

Voyage Dates: April 5-12, 2014 (See also previous voyage posting – March 28 to April 5, 2014)

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 97 of 2120 (4.58%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 8 of 808 (0.99%)

Predominant symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea

Causative agent: Norovirus

Actions: In response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and the crew aboard the ship are taking the following actions:

• Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan,
• Making announcements to notify onboard passengers of the outbreak, encourage case reporting, and encourage hand hygiene,
• Collecting stool specimens from ill passengers and crew and made plans to send them to the CDC lab,
• Making twice daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the VSP,
• Sending corporate management public health, hotel, housekeeping team to assist the onboard management with the infection control response plan,
• Is consulting with CDC on plans for their comprehensive sanitation procedures in Baltimore, Maryland on April 12, 2014, including:
  • providing additional cleaning crew to complete a thorough public and accommodation super-sanitization cleaning and disinfection,
  • planning staged disembarkation for active cases to limit the opportunity of illness transmission to well guests, and
  • planning for sanitation of terminal and transport infection control procedures.

Two CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officers and an epidemiologist will board the ship in Baltimore, MD on April 12, 2014 to conduct an epidemiologic investigation, environmental health assessment, and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Specimens are being collected and will be sent to the CDC lab for testing.