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| Caribbean cruise ship docks in New Jersey after nearly 700 on board fall ill | Caribbean cruise ship docks in New Jersey after nearly 700 on board fall ill |
| (7 months later) | |
| A cruise ship on which hundreds of passengers and crew members fell ill is returning to port in New Jersey, with health officials recommending those still showing symptoms to check in at hotels or seek medical care before going home. | |
| The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its latest count put the number of sick on board the Explorer of the Seas at 630 passengers and 54 crew members. The ship, which had to cut short its 10-day cruise, was carrying 3,050 passengers. | The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its latest count put the number of sick on board the Explorer of the Seas at 630 passengers and 54 crew members. The ship, which had to cut short its 10-day cruise, was carrying 3,050 passengers. |
| Health investigators suspect norovirus, but lab results were not expected until later this week. If norovirus is to blame, it would be one of the largest norovirus outbreaks in the past 20 years, the CDC said. Almost 700 people fell ill during a 2006 norovirus outbreak on a Carnival Cruise Lines ship. | Health investigators suspect norovirus, but lab results were not expected until later this week. If norovirus is to blame, it would be one of the largest norovirus outbreaks in the past 20 years, the CDC said. Almost 700 people fell ill during a 2006 norovirus outbreak on a Carnival Cruise Lines ship. |
| Norovirus – once known as Norwalk virus – is highly contagious. It can be picked up from an infected person, contaminated food or water or by touching contaminated surfaces. Sometimes mistaken for the stomach flu, the virus causes bouts of vomiting and diarrhea for a few days. | Norovirus – once known as Norwalk virus – is highly contagious. It can be picked up from an infected person, contaminated food or water or by touching contaminated surfaces. Sometimes mistaken for the stomach flu, the virus causes bouts of vomiting and diarrhea for a few days. |
| Royal Caribbean said the Explorer of the Seas was set to dock at 2pm in Bayonne, a city near New York Harbor. The cruise line said most guests who fell ill were up and about as the ship headed to port. | Royal Caribbean said the Explorer of the Seas was set to dock at 2pm in Bayonne, a city near New York Harbor. The cruise line said most guests who fell ill were up and about as the ship headed to port. |
| The CDC said it recommended to Royal Caribbean that people who still have symptoms be housed in nearby hotels or seen at medical facilities before traveling home. | The CDC said it recommended to Royal Caribbean that people who still have symptoms be housed in nearby hotels or seen at medical facilities before traveling home. |
| CDC investigators boarded the ship during its stopover on Sunday at the US Virgin Islands. They said no single food or water source or other origin has been identified. | CDC investigators boarded the ship during its stopover on Sunday at the US Virgin Islands. They said no single food or water source or other origin has been identified. |
| Royal Caribbean is providing all guests a 50% refund of their cruise fares and an additional 50% future cruise credit. It is also reimbursing airline change fees and accommodation for guests who had to change plans for traveling home. | Royal Caribbean is providing all guests a 50% refund of their cruise fares and an additional 50% future cruise credit. It is also reimbursing airline change fees and accommodation for guests who had to change plans for traveling home. |
| Stricken guests who were confined to their staterooms are being given a credit of one future cruise day for each day of confinement. | Stricken guests who were confined to their staterooms are being given a credit of one future cruise day for each day of confinement. |
| After returning to port, the ship will undergo a third sanitation and no one will be allowed on board for more than 24 hours as an extra precaution, the cruise line said. | After returning to port, the ship will undergo a third sanitation and no one will be allowed on board for more than 24 hours as an extra precaution, the cruise line said. |
| Explorer of the Seas is on track to depart at its originally scheduled time on Friday afternoon on its next cruise, a nine-night trip with port calls in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman said. | Explorer of the Seas is on track to depart at its originally scheduled time on Friday afternoon on its next cruise, a nine-night trip with port calls in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman said. |