Stomach Bug Hits Disney Cruise Ship, CDC Investigating Outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently in the middle of an investigation after 145 people aboard a Disney cruise ship fell ill due to a stomach bug. Among the 145 people, 131 where passengers and the rest were crew members.

Many of those who had the stomach bug experienced vomiting, The Telegraph said. They were confined to their room for 24 hours and the cruise activities on the ship proceeded normally.

The Disney Wonder cruise ship had 2,680 passengers and almost 1,000 crew members. It left Miami last Wednesday and came back on Sunday from the Bahamas, Daily Mail reported.

CDC investigates after 97 become sick on Disney cruise ship https://t.co/xB4jTsZ7gz pic.twitter.com/OyOPSCiih0

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 2, 2016

Disney Ups Sanitation Measures in Cruise Ships

As a result of the stomach bug upgrade, Disney Cruise Line has enforced additional sanitation measures, Fox 8 reported. A spokesperson from Disney has said that these measures include the continuous cleaning of handrails. Meanwhile, passenger contact with food has been limited, with self-service stations at buffets and ice cream stations being put to a halt.

A spokesperson said via CBS that they focused on taking care of the guests and crew. "We have a comprehensive plan that outlines protocols for managing this kind of situation and closely follow CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of common stomach-related illnesses," the spokesperson said.

CDC Acts On Disney Cruise Ship Outbreak

Reports said that soon after the cruise ship came back, a CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environment health officer boarded it for assessment. Besides evaluating the outbreak and the consequent response, the CDC officer also collected stool samples from the victims for testing.

In 2002, 163 passengers and 12 crew of two Disney Magic cruise ships experienced gastrointestinal illness. The symptoms included vomiting and/or diarrhea, the Daily Mail reported.

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