An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness has reportedly sickened nearly 100 people on a Royal Caribbean cruise. This incident occurred on the Radiance of the Seas which set sail from Tampa Florida.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that 89 passengers and 2 crew members out of 2164 passengers and 901 crew members respectively reported symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
The cruise which embarked on a 7-day journey to the Western Caribbean was alerted to the outbreak on February 4th 2025. Health officials are currently investigating the cause of the illness.
Royal Caribbean has responded by enhancing onboard cleaning and disinfection procedures. Stool samples have been collected for testing to identify the causative agent which remains unknown.
Norovirus is often suspected in such outbreaks on cruise ships but the CDC has not yet confirmed this as the cause. They note that finding the exact agent can take time.
This event marks the sixth gastrointestinal illness outbreak on a cruise ship reported in 2025 following 18 incidents in 2024. It raises questions about health management on cruises.
Passengers affected have been isolated to prevent further spread of the illness. The cruise line is consulting with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program to manage the situation.
This outbreak serves as a reminder of the challenges of maintaining health and hygiene on large vessels where close quarters can facilitate the rapid spread of contagious diseases.
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