Nearly 90 passengers and crew aboard Royal Caribbean’s “Radiance of the Seas” have fallen ill with a gastrointestinal sickness, experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.
The seven-day cruise, which departed Tampa on Saturday, was set to visit Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. However, an outbreak was reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Tuesday.
According to the CDC, 89 passengers about 4% of the ship’s 2,164 guests along with two crew members have shown symptoms of the illness. In response, Royal Caribbean has intensified onboard sanitation efforts, collected stool samples for testing, and isolated affected individuals.
While norovirus is a common perpetrator of similar outbreaks, the cause of the illness is still unknown. The Miami-based cruise line has not made an official statement yet.
The ship is expected to return to Tampa on Saturday, February 8, according to Cruisemapper.com. Authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation as investigations into the outbreak continue.
