Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, May 14: Fresh outbreaks of infectious diseases aboard multiple cruise ships have once again raised concerns over whether cruise liners are becoming hotspots for the rapid spread of illnesses.

Global health authorities are currently monitoring a hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, while French authorities recently ordered around 1,700 passengers aboard the British cruise ship Ambition to quarantine following a norovirus outbreak. Last week, another cruise liner, Caribbean Princess, carrying around 3,100 passengers, also reported a norovirus outbreak.

Health experts say cruise ships create ideal conditions for contagious diseases to spread because of their semi-enclosed environment, where thousands of people from different countries remain in close contact for extended periods.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), passengers often spend days or weeks together in confined spaces with limited ventilation, making transmission easier once a virus is introduced onboard.

Dr Emily Abdoler, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Michigan Medical School, compared the situation to long-duration flights, saying similar concerns would likely arise if people spent an entire week together inside airplanes.

Experts also note that cruise holidays are particularly popular among older adults, many of whom may already have underlying health conditions that increase vulnerability to infections.

Norovirus, commonly known as the “winter vomiting bug,” remains one of the most frequently reported illnesses on cruise ships. The virus is highly contagious and causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.

However, the CDC says cruise ships account for only about one per cent of reported norovirus outbreaks in the United States, with most cases occurring in hospitals, long-term care facilities, restaurants, schools and daycare centres.

Cruise ships had also drawn global attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially after hundreds of passengers and crew members aboard the Diamond Princess tested positive in early 2020 while quarantined at sea.

The recent hantavirus outbreak linked to MV Hondius has attracted particular attention because such infections are considered rare.

Hantavirus is generally spread through rodents and their droppings and is not typically known for person-to-person transmission. However, health officials say the Andes strain of the virus, found in parts of South America, may spread between individuals who are in very close contact.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control believes the virus may have been brought aboard the MV Hondius by a passenger who had recently travelled in Argentina or Chile, where the Andes strain is endemic. Investigations into the outbreak are still ongoing.