SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 15: The Ruby Princess cruise ship departs from San Francisco to Alaska on August 15, 2023 in San Francisco, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO - The passengers and crew of a Princess Cruises ship that on Thursday docked in San Francisco have been infected with a highly contagious stomach virus while on their voyage, the Associated Press reported.
The ship, the Ruby Princess, was on a 20-day round-trip journey from San Francisco to Canada and Alaska when 102 passengers and 23 crew members contracted norovirus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
There were 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members on the Ruby Princess, the CDC reported.
Norovirus is often spread by food or on surfaces, especially in crowded conditions. The illness is short-lived in many people, but can be dangerous for young children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions.
Symptoms include sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain that can last three days, according to the CDC.
The Ruby Princess set sail on June 12, and the outbreak was reported to the CDC on June 27. The agency said that not all the infected people were sick at the same time or when the ship arrived or left port.
The Source: Associated Press