Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships

Noroviruses

Norovirus is a very contagious virus. You can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.
Learn more about norovirus

Why noroviruses are associated with cruise ships

Health officials track illness on cruise ships. So outbreaks are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land.
Close living quarters may increase the amount of group contact.
New passenger arrivals may bring the virus to other passengers and crew.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp,
E-mail CDCINFO@cdc.gov, or
call the CDC public response hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).