Caribbean Princess cruise ends early due to norovirus outbreak
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Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess ship returned to port early over the weekend after 245 people on board fell ill from a norovirus outbreak. The same thing essentially happened on the same ship last month, when at least 371 people on a February cruise were sickened with a gastrointestinal illness.
On Saturday morning, the Caribbean Princess arrived in Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. one day early after at least 228 guests and 17 crew members suffered from a stomach bug during the scheduled 14-day excursion, WPLG Local 10 reports.
CRUISE DENIED ENTRY BY DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OVER CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS CALLS IT AN 'OVERREACTION'
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Testing confirmed that the gastrointestinal illness was caused by the norovirus, and sick passengers were treated by the ocean liner’s medical team, per CBS Miami.
Passenger Lovena Fox said that health precautions kicked into effect on board after officials learned of the norovirus outbreak.
"In the buffet area, the crew members were serving us. They wouldn't let us touch the food,” Fox told Local 10.
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After disembarkation on Saturday, a vessel sanitation program team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention boarded the Caribbean Princess to clean the ship and investigate the cause of the outbreak.
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On March 1, the ship departed Florida for a 10-night cruise of the Panama Canal, Costa Rica and the Caribbean for its latest voyage, according to Cruise Mapper.
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Last month, at least 345 passengers and 26 crew members on the Caribbean Princess reportedly fell ill with a gastrointestinal bug, prompting the ship to dock early, again in Port Everglades, on Feb. 13, CBS Miami reports.
A spokesperson for Princess Cruises was not immediately available to offer further comment.