Eurodam

The 'Eurodam', carrying 158 passengers and crew members who had been infected with norovirus, returned to Port Everglades after a 10-day trip around the Caribbean on March 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began monitoring the norovirus outbreak on the ship on Feb. 23. The CDC report stated 148 out of 2,057 passengers, or 7%, were sick. The illness affected 10 of 834 crew members, or 1.2%. Those affected by the illness reported experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, which was determined to be caused by norovirus. In response to the outbreak, the cruise line reported that it isolated sick passengers, upped its sanitization procedures and consulted with health officials to monitor the spread of the illness.

The 'Euroda' has been allowed to dock in Curaçao on Feb 25, after a norovirus outbreak was brought under control. Health officials had initially blocked passengers from leaving the cruise ship due to the highly contagious stomach virus. The outbreak, had caused nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain among passengers and crew. An investigation by GMN and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the presence of the highly contagious virus. To stop the spread, the ship implemented strict cleaning and hygiene measures. Passengers who were sick were isolated. These actions significantly reduced the number of new cases. The 'Eurodam' now met all international sanitation standards. The number of people with symptoms was now low enough that the ship was no longer considered a public health risk. The authorities will keep a close watch to ensure the virus doesn't spread again.

Two cruise ships, the 'Eurodam' and the 'Nautica' have reported gastrointestinal outbreaks early in the new year. The 'Eurodam', carrying 2,900 passengers and crew members, saw 86 passengers, or 4%, and eight crew members contract norovirus during its southern Caribbean voyage. The ship returned to Port Everglades on Jan 8, 2025, and has implemented isolation and deep cleaning. The 'Nautica', with just over 1,000 people on board, reported 15 passengers and 16 crew members experiencing similar symptoms. Both ships were following protocols to prevent further spread of the virus.