logo
How cruise ship passengers can stay safe from the latest version of norovirus

How cruise ship passengers can stay safe from the latest version of norovirus

Japan Today08-05-2025

FILE - The Queen Mary 2 prepares to depart the Red Hook Terminal, bound for Southampton, England, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
By JONEL ALECCIA
For Americans planning cruise ship vacations this spring or summer, there could be reason to worry about more than rough seas, experts say.
Recent government cuts included top staff at the Vessel Sanitation Program, which is run by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and conducts inspections and investigates illnesses.
The reductions, part of larger Trump administration cuts, come amid a surge in cruise ship outbreaks fueled by a new strain of norovirus.
So far this year, there have been 16 illness outbreaks reported on cruise ships in the CDC's jurisdiction, mostly from norovirus, compared with 18 outbreaks in all of 2024 and 14 in 2023, VSP reports show. U.S. officials conducted nearly 200 inspections of 150 ships last year.
'Certainly it's something that would be on my mind if was getting ready to get on that cruise ship,' said Donald Schaffner, a food science expert at Rutgers University.
Here's what you need to know about staying safe on board:
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a broad restructuring of the nation's health agencies in April. The move eliminated the CDC's Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, which housed the cruise ship vessel program, along with others focused on asthma, air quality, lead exposure in children and other issues.
Four full-time CDC staff, including scientists, were dismissed, said Erik Svendsen, the division's fired former director. The program also employed 12 U.S. Public Health Service commissioned officers, who remain.
The officers, however, lack the expertise of the scientists who were let go, Svendsen said. In addition, the program was already understaffed, he said.
'It's going to put them back many months before they're really functional again,' he said.
A CDC spokesperson said in a statement that the VSP work 'has not stopped.'
'Critical programs in the CDC will continue under Secretary Kennedy's vision to streamline HHS to better serve Americans,' the statement said.
About 18 million people board cruises in North America each year, part of nearly 32 million passengers worldwide, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade group. Cruise industry officials say the chance of contracting a gastrointestinal illness is far greater on land than on a ship.
Norovirus is the most common ailment tracked on ships, though other outbreaks do occur.
Of the 19 million to 21 million norovirus illnesses that occur each year in the U.S., less than 1% are tied to cruises, said Lee-Ann Jaykus, a North Carolina State University food microbiologist and virologist who has studied norovirus.
But even that fraction of cases can mean misery for many hundreds of people on ships who come down with symptoms that include sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain that can last three days, according to the CDC.
Norovirus is highly contagious, often spread by food or on surfaces, particularly in crowded conditions. It is a short-lived illness for many people, but it can be dangerous for people with underlying health conditions, young children and those aged 65 and older.
There are many different types of norovirus, but typically one dominant strain causes illness outbreaks, Jaykus said.
This year, a new epidemic strain has emerged, called GII.17. This version has circulated at low levels for years, but it was behind a surge in U.S. norovirus outbreaks this past winter.
Between Aug. 1 and April 9, more than 2,400 suspected or confirmed norovirus outbreaks were reported to a CDC monitoring system, roughly double for the same period a year earlier. The GII.17 strain has been responsible for nearly 80% of them, the CDC reported.
'It's new to the population,' Jaykus said, which means most people don't have immunity to the germ, so it can spread more widely.
People infected with norovirus typically shed 'literally billions of viral particles,' said Schaffner, the food safety expert. And it only takes a few viral particles to make someone sick.
The first rule should be for sick people to stay home, he said. That's not possible on a cruise.
If people get sick on a cruise ship, they're required to report the illness and isolate themselves, but many fail to do so.
'You spent all this money for a fancy cruise and you're feeling a little bit under the weather, so you tough it out,' Schaffner said. 'But in the meantime, now you spread the virus."
Passengers should be alert for signs of illness, even in other travelers. Vomit, for instance, can spread norovirus particles into the air, Schaffner noted.
'If you're in a situation where you see someone vomit, immediately walk away from them, ideally into the wind,' he said.
Washing hands frequently is key, especially after using the bathroom or before eating and drinking. Using soap and water is best; wash for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing well. Hand sanitizer alone doesn't work well against norovirus, the CDC notes.
Cruise lines have extensive sanitation protocols in place that are monitored through the CDC's vessel program, which is paid for by industry through inspection and other fees that total tens of thousands of dollars per ship per year.
It remains to be seen how cuts to the program will affect inspections and outbreak investigations in the future, Schaffner said.
'If you want to have no disease outbreaks, all you have to do is fire all the epidemiologists,' he said. 'And there'll be no one there to investigate.'
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Want to stay healthy when you fly? Here's the plane truth
Want to stay healthy when you fly? Here's the plane truth

Japan Today

time9 hours ago

  • Japan Today

Want to stay healthy when you fly? Here's the plane truth

By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News Whether your vacation plans involve a romantic getaway to a faraway locale or just a summer visit with the grandkids, odds are an airplane will be involved. For the most part, planes are a great way to go, health experts say. "Overall, it's a very safe mode of transportation," said Dr. Leigh Speicher, an aerospace medicine specialist who is president of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. But commercial air travel does come with some health baggage. Issues range from simple stress to "complex physiologic changes occurring in the setting of air travel that can affect the heart, the blood vessels and the brain-heart axis," said Dr. Laurence Sperling, the Katz Professor in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Here's what the doctors say you can do to stay grounded in health before you're cleared for departure. Beware of the air? In the jet-travel anthem "Come Fly With Me," Frank Sinatra sang that once you're up there, where the air is rarefied, you can just glide, starry-eyed. But that rarefied air can pose a health challenge for some. On commercial flights, cabin air is usually pressurized to the equivalent of around 6,000 to 8,000 feet in altitude, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's roughly the elevation of Estes Park, Colorado, or Mount Olympus in Washington, and it means passengers are inhaling less oxygen than they might normally. That pressurized air can also be dry – around 5% to 25% relative humidity, according to a research review published in Clinical Cardiology in 2017 about air travel's cardiovascular effects. Sperling, a preventive cardiologist who founded the Emory Center for Heart Disease Prevention, was senior author of that review. Speicher, who started piloting planes as a teenager, said most healthy people will be fine breathing the cabin air. But the CDC says the lower pressure can exacerbate problems for people with anemia, underlying lung issues, cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, or other conditions that require supplemental oxygen. The Clinical Cardiology review adds heart disease and heart failure, where the heart can't pump efficiently. If you have any concerns about whether it's safe for you to fly, ask a doctor, Speicher said. "Your best resource to talk to is your own primary care provider. Or, if you've had a recent heart attack or a stroke, it might be the specialist who's cared for you." The lower air pressure in the cabin also causes gas trapped inside the body to expand. That can affect someone who has had bypass surgery within the past 10 days, the Clinical Cardiology review said. Expanding air inside the body also can lead to abdominal pain, sinus pain or "airplane ear," Speicher said. The CDC says decongestants can help with ear and sinus symptoms. But because decongestants can raise blood pressure, they should be used for the shortest duration possible or avoided altogether in people with severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, according to guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. Flying dry The low humidity inside a plane can lead to problems such as dry eye or a cough, Speicher said. To combat dehydration, she recommends traveling with your own water bottle, which you can fill once you clear airport security. Be careful with caffeine and alcohol, she said, both of which can be dehydrating. The air aboard modern planes is filtered and "cleaner than most of our homes and buildings that we're in," Speicher said. So when it comes to airborne viruses and bacteria, "it's not like you're being exposed to everyone in the whole plane." But you can still be exposed to germs from the people around you, she said, and if you're sick, you can expose them as well. "I'm not at the point where I would say, 'Everyone needs to wear a mask for every flight,'" she said. But in case you end up next to somebody who is coughing and not wearing a mask themselves, "I think it's lovely to have one on hand." Blood clot risks The long periods of immobility that come with air travel can elevate the risk for deep vein thrombosis – clots that begin in large veins, often in a leg. If a clot travels to the lungs, it can be fatal. Such clots are rare, but Speicher and Sperling both recommend using compression socks on longer flights. Stay well-hydrated, Sperling said, and keep blood flowing by not crossing your legs and by flexing your leg muscles while seated, or "get up and walk in the aisle." But don't loiter. Turbulence can strike without warning, Speicher said. So when you're seated, buckle up, she said. "It'll save you from injury." Stressful? Yes Air travel can be frustrating, to put it mildly. "It's a very stressful time for some people," Speicher said. And that can affect mental health. So "pack your patience," she said. Try to be understanding of your fellow passengers, and listen to the instructions you're given. "The cabin crew and the pilots are trying to do their job. They're trying to get everyone there safely." Nervous fliers should "do the things that help you stay calm in regular life," such as deep breathing, meditation or listening to music, Speicher said. "Travel with someone who centers you and helps you feel safe." Also avoid alcohol, she said. In addition to being dehydrating, it "can compound all the issues going on, instead of calming things down." Pre-flight prep Sperling, who has been on the receiving end of several "Is there a doctor on board?" calls to help people when he's flown, emphasized the importance of checking with your health care team to make sure you're ready to fly. "The physical stress of air travel should not be underestimated," he said. "For many people, it can be the most significant stress test they've had in days, weeks, months or that year." It takes effort to haul luggage through the airport or even just wait in line. "So it's not uncommon for people to unmask some underlying health conditions as they're navigating the stress of air travel." If you're cleared to fly, Sperling said, make plans for keeping up with your regular medications. Keep them in your carry-on luggage. "It's really helpful for a person to have a list of their medications, just to be able to share with whoever is trying to help," he said. People with heart rhythm disorders should carry a copy of a baseline electrocardiogram reading – you can take a photo and store it on your phone, Sperling said. People with implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators should carry the device's card with them. Overseas travelers should make sure they are up to date on vaccinations. Many hospitals have travel specialists who can help. Keep in mind basic needs as well, Speicher said. "I recommend having some snacks or food with you in case there are delays." Don't skimp on sleep Travel can interfere with sleep, which is considered essential for heart health. Adjusting to a new time zone is trickiest when traveling east, Speicher said. "You just stay up a bit later when you travel west." Her simplest advice is to get exposure to mid-morning light to reset your body's internal clock when you travel east. "It's great to get sleep where you can," she said. But be careful with alcohol, which might make you sleepy but can interfere with staying asleep. Sperling cautioned against taking any type of sleep aid or anti-anxiety medication that you don't take regularly. "Stick to your routine," he suggested. If your normal bedtime routine involves reading a book, try the same while you travel. Have fun "Air travel is important for people to see the people they love, their families, their friends, to experience new places and new beauty on this planet," Sperling said. So while putting in the work required by flying, don't lose sight of its rewards. "We should be aware of the risks," Sperling said. "We should be equally aware of the joy." © Copyright 2025 American Heart Association News

Trump's new travel ban set to take effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement
Trump's new travel ban set to take effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement

Japan Today

time11 hours ago

  • Japan Today

Trump's new travel ban set to take effect amid escalating tension over immigration enforcement

Haitian art is displayed on a wall as a man practices dance moves for a father-daughter performance organized by the Miami Police Athletic League, outside the Little Haiti Cultural Complex in Miami, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday amid escalating tension over the president's unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement. The new proclamation, which Trump signed on Wednesday, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don't hold a valid visa. The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect. Haitian-American Elvanise Louis-Juste, who was at the airport Sunday in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting a flight to her home state of Florida, said many Haitians wanting to come to the U.S. are simply seeking to escape violence and unrest in their country. 'I have family in Haiti, so it's pretty upsetting to see and hear,' Louis-Juste, 23, said of the travel ban. 'I don't think it's a good thing. I think it's very upsetting.' Many immigration experts say the new ban is designed to beat any court challenge by focusing on the visa application process and appears more carefully crafted than a hastily written executive order during Trump's first term that denied entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries. In a video posted Wednesday on social media, Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report about tourists, businesspeople and students who overstay U.S. visas and arrive by air or sea, singling out countries with high percentages of nationals who remain after their visas expired. Trump also tied the new ban to a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The man charged in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. U.S. officials say he overstayed a tourist visa. The ban was quickly denounced by groups that provide aid and resettlement help to refugees. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, a nonprofit international relief organization. Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's government condemned the travel ban, characterizing it in a statement as a 'stigmatization and criminalization campaign' against Venezuelans. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk: What you can do about it
Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk: What you can do about it

Japan Today

time3 days ago

  • Japan Today

Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk: What you can do about it

By Jennifer E Graham-Engeland and Martin J Sliwinski The probability of any American having dementia in their lifetime may be far greater than previously thought. For instance, a 2025 study that tracked a large sample of American adults across more than three decades found that their average likelihood of developing dementia between ages 55 to 95 was 42%, and that figure was even higher among women, Black adults and those with genetic risk. Now, a great deal of attention is being paid to how to stave off cognitive decline in the aging population. But what is often missing from this conversation is the role that chronic stress can play in how well people age from a cognitive standpoint, as well as everybody's risk for dementia. We are professors at Penn State in the Center for Healthy Aging, with expertise in health psychology and neuropsychology. We study the pathways by which chronic psychological stress influences the risk of dementia and how it influences the ability to stay healthy as people age. Recent research shows that Americans who are currently middle-aged or older report experiencing more frequent stressful events than previous generations. A key driver behind this increase appears to be rising economic and job insecurity, especially in the wake of the 2007-2009 Great Recession and ongoing shifts in the labor market. Many people stay in the workforce longer due to financial necessity, as Americans are living longer and face greater challenges covering basic expenses in later life. Therefore, it may be more important than ever to understand the pathways by which stress influences cognitive aging. Social isolation and stress Although everyone experiences some stress in daily life, some people experience stress that is more intense, persistent or prolonged. It is this relatively chronic stress that is most consistently linked with poorer health. In a recent review paper, our team summarized how chronic stress is a hidden but powerful factor underlying cognitive aging, or the speed at which your cognitive performance slows down with age. It is hard to overstate the impact of stress on your cognitive health as you age. This is in part because your psychological, behavioral and biological responses to everyday stressful events are closely intertwined, and each can amplify and interact with the other. For instance, living alone can be stressful – particularly for older adults – and being isolated makes it more difficult to live a healthy lifestyle, as well as to detect and get help for signs of cognitive decline. Moreover, stressful experiences – and your reactions to them – can make it harder to sleep well and to engage in other healthy behaviors, like getting enough exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. In turn, insufficient sleep and a lack of physical activity can make it harder to cope with stressful experiences. Stress is often missing from dementia prevention efforts A robust body of research highlights the importance of at least 14 different factors that relate to your risk of Alzheimer's disease, a common and devastating form of dementia and other forms of dementia. Although some of these factors may be outside of your control, such as diabetes or depression, many of these factors involve things that people do, such as physical activity, healthy eating and social engagement. What is less well-recognized is that chronic stress is intimately interwoven with all of these factors that relate to dementia risk. Our work and research by others that we reviewed in our recent paper demonstrate that chronic stress can affect brain function and physiology, influence mood and make it harder to maintain healthy habits. Yet, dementia prevention efforts rarely address stress. Avoiding stressful events and difficult life circumstances is typically not an option. Where and how you live and work plays a major role in how much stress you experience. For example, people with lower incomes, less education or those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods often face more frequent stress and have fewer forms of support – such as nearby clinics, access to healthy food, reliable transportation or safe places to exercise or socialize – to help them manage the challenges of aging As shown in recent work on brain health in rural and underserved communities, these conditions can shape whether people have the chance to stay healthy as they age. Over time, the effects of stress tend to build up, wearing down the body's systems and shaping long-term emotional and social habits. Lifestyle changes to manage stress and lessen dementia risk The good news is that there are multiple things that can be done to slow or prevent dementia, and our review suggests that these can be enhanced if the role of stress is better understood. Whether you are a young, midlife or an older adult, it is not too early or too late to address the implications of stress on brain health and aging. Here are a few ways you can take direct actions to help manage your level of stress: -- Follow lifestyle behaviors that can improve healthy aging. These include: following a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity and getting enough sleep. Even small changes in these domains can make a big difference. -- Prioritize your mental health and well-being to the extent you can. Things as simple as talking about your worries, asking for support from friends and family and going outside regularly can be immensely valuable. -- If your doctor says that you or someone you care about should follow a new health care regimen, or suggests there are signs of cognitive impairment, ask them what support or advice they have for managing related stress. -- If you or a loved one feel socially isolated, consider how small shifts could make a difference. For instance, research suggests that adding just one extra interaction a day – even if it's a text message or a brief phone call – can be helpful, and that even interactions with people you don't know well, such as at a coffee shop or doctor's office, can have meaningful benefits. Walkable neighborhoods, lifelong learning A 2025 study identified stress as one of 17 overlapping factors that affect the odds of developing any brain disease, including stroke, late-life depression and dementia. This work suggests that addressing stress and overlapping issues such as loneliness may have additional health benefits as well. However, not all individuals or families are able to make big changes on their own. Research suggests that community-level and workplace interventions can reduce the risk of dementia. For example, safe and walkable neighborhoods and opportunities for social connection and lifelong learning – such as through community classes and events – have the potential to reduce stress and promote brain health. Importantly, researchers have estimated that even a modest delay in disease onset of Alzheimer's would save hundreds of thousands of dollars for every American affected. Thus, providing incentives to companies who offer stress management resources could ultimately save money as well as help people age more healthfully. In addition, stress related to the stigma around mental health and aging can discourage people from seeking support that would benefit them. Even just thinking about your risk of dementia can be stressful in itself. Things can be done about this, too. For instance, normalizing the use of hearing aids and integrating reports of perceived memory and mental health issues into routine primary care and workplace wellness programs could encourage people to engage with preventive services earlier. Although research on potential biomedical treatments is ongoing and important, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, if interventions aimed at reducing stress were prioritized in guidelines for dementia prevention, the benefits could be far-reaching, resulting in both delayed disease onset and improved quality of life for millions of people. Jennifer E Graham-Engeland is Professor of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State. Martin J Sliwinski is Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store