A second consecutive outbreak of gastrointestinal illness has hit Cunard ship Queen Mary 2. It follows an outbreak which sickened 150 during its transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York last week.
Queen Mary 2 First Reported Illness During Transatlantic Crossing
The ship arrived in New York on December 21, 2024. Initially, 100 guests and seven crew members were reported sick but that has since been adjusted up to 138 passengers and 12 crew. The outbreak was first reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on December 19.
Queen Mary 2 has since departed New York on the second leg of its long Christmas and New Year voyage, visiting the Caribbean. It is visiting ports including St. Maarten, Dominica, and Barbados.
This sailing has also been impacted by dozens of guests becoming ill, despite assurances last week that Cunard would implement enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures during its call in New York City.
More Than 200 Sick on Caribbean Cruise
The CDC says 223 out of 2,565 guests have reported illness since it departed New York. Forty-four crew members have also been taken ill.
The CDC was informed infected passengers and crew are being isolated and once again, it has enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures as per the cruise line’s outbreak prevention and response plan.
As with the previous cruise, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps are the main symptoms reported. CDC health officials haven’t confirmed the causative agent responsible for the outbreaks on either cruise yet. Although norovirus is often the cause of gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships, the CDC isn’t yet in a position to confirm this.
Norovirus can come via food, water, or contaminated surfaces. Symptoms typically manifest within 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last up to three days.
In 2012, more than 200 Queen Mary 2 passengers reported illness during a Christmas cruise. The month of December has so far seen five gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships, significantly more than any other month in 2024.
