Illness outbreak spreads on cruise ship, leaving 154 sick

An illness outbreak aboard a Cunard Cruise Line ship has spread, now leaving at least 154 people experiencing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A total of 129 passengers and 25 crew members on the Queen Victoria have reported being ill during the voyage, an increase of 15 people from when the illness was reported on Feb. 1.

The cause of the gastrointestinal disease outbreak aboard the Queen Victoria cruise, which departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 22, is currently unknown.

MS Queen Victoria cruise ship, operated by Cunard Line, is moored at the Royal Quays Marina in North Shields, after returning from Barbados, April 19, 2022.

The ship is scheduled to dock in Honolulu on Feb. 12.

The Queen Victoria has 1,824 passengers and 967 crew members on board.

The cruise line reported it would increase cleaning and disinfection procedures according to its outbreak prevention and response plan, isolate ill passengers and crew and inform current and embarking passengers and crew of the situation on board.

MORE: 139 passengers, crew sickened during gastrointestinal illness outbreak on Queen Victoria cruise: CDC

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program is monitoring the situation and reviewing the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures.

Cunard Cruise Line confirmed that guests aboard the Queen Victoria had fallen ill in a statement to ABC News.

“Cunard confirms that a number of guests had reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness on board Queen Victoria on voyage V405 which departed Florida on [Jan. 22] and arrived in San Francisco on [Feb. 7]. They immediately activated their enhanced health and safety protocols to ensure the wellbeing of all guests and crew on board and these measures have been effective,” the company said in a statement.