In February of 2020, almost seven hundred passengers among one of the Diamond Princess cruise ships were infected with Covid-19. Seven passengers’ lives were taken by the virus while aboard the ship.
Studies conducted after the outbreak on the cruise ship have found it’s likely that the outbreak stemmed from one infected passenger.
Though close contact with other passengers is unavoidable on a cruise ship, the virus spread from one person to almost seven hundred people.
Now that vaccines are widely available, cruise ship companies are claiming that cruises are the safest way to take a vacation. How true are these claims?
In August of this year, twentyseven passengers on a Carnival cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19, despite being fully vaccinated. One passenger, a seventy-seven year old woman and grandmother from Oklahoma, who died from the virus.
Under the VSP (Vessel Sanitation Program), cruise ships are required to report the number of passengers and crew members who report symptoms of gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus, a common gastrointestinal illness known for being easily transmitted on cruise ships.
In 2019, there were ten outbreaks reported to the VSP according to the CDC (center for disease control and prevention).
In 2018, eleven outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease were reported to the VSP according to the CDC’s website.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, cruise ships were known as floating petri dishes, and for good reason.
Certain infectious diseases, gastrointestinal diseases in particular, have been known for spreading easily on cruise ships in comparison to how easily the viruses spread on land.
As Covid-19 infects millions across the world, we sometimes forget that there are other infectious and dangerous viruses too, especially aboard cruise ships.
Before, when you become a passenger on a cruise ship, you risk becoming infected with a gastrointestinal disease. Now, you risk becoming infected with a gastrointestinal disease and Covid-19, which is also known for causing diarrhea and vomiting.
Until the Covid-19 outbreak ceases, cruise ship passengers put themselves at risk of becoming infected with two different types of dangerous viruses, both of which are known for spreading rapidly in that type of environment.
Even once the pandemic ends, cruise ships will continue to pose a risk to passengers at close contact with thousands of strangers, which inevitably leads to the transmission of infectious diseases.
While cruise ship companies claim their ships are safe for passengers, the floating petri dishes earn millions of dollars in revenue while still posing a fatal risk to passengers who choose to board.
While not everyone who boards a cruise will become sick, the risk of becoming infected with the deadly Covid-19 virus and other dangerous gastrointestinal illnesses still remain high due to the nature of ships.
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