75 cruise guests, crew sick in Canada-US sailing in norovirus outbreak
Original story by: USA Today
Last updated: Oct 22, 2025
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- Context: A norovirus outbreak has affected nearly 80 people on an Oceania Cruises ship, the Oceania Insignia. The illness, characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, has impacted 74 guests and one crew member. The cruise ship is currently on a voyage that began in Montreal and is scheduled to end in Boston.
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- Detailed Summary:
- The Oceania Insignia, with 637 guests on board, reported 74 ill guests and one ill crew member due to norovirus.
- The affected individuals experienced symptoms primarily of vomiting and diarrhea.
- The ship departed from Montreal on October 16 and is making stops in Canada and Maine, with a planned end in Boston on October 27.
- Oceania Cruises has implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols and isolated sick individuals, as reported by the CDC.
- This outbreak is part of a larger trend, with the CDC logging 20 gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships meeting public notification thresholds this year, 15 of which were norovirus.
- Norovirus has been the leading cause of reported outbreaks in recent years, accounting for 15 of 18 total outbreaks in 2024 and 13 out of 14 in the previous year.
- The CDC notes that while recent cruise ship outbreaks are higher than pre-pandemic levels, it's unclear if this is a new trend, but a newly dominant strain is associated with land-based outbreaks, which often influence ship outbreaks.
- Despite its association with cruises, norovirus outbreaks on ships represent only 1% of all reported outbreaks.
- Experts suggest that outbreaks are more frequently diagnosed and reported in settings with close proximity, such as day-care facilities, nursing homes, and cruise ships, rather than in general community settings.
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