Officials Board Cruise Ship in Hong Kong After 76 ...

Holland America Line’s Westerdam is in the course of an incredible 28-night itinerary that departed from Tokyo, Japan on February 15, 2026, however the crusing has been removed from idyllic for dozens of passengers.

Because the ship briefly visited Hong Kong on March 1, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) from Hong Kong’s Division of Well being was known as to research what’s believed to be a norovirus outbreak. To date, 76 particular person circumstances have been reported, together with 65 company and 11 crew members.

Of these contaminated, ages ranged between 24 and 92, with circumstances cut up evenly between 38 males and 38 ladies.

The Vista-class Westerdam can welcome as much as 1,964 company at double occupancy and almost 2,600 when totally booked, plus her roughly 800 crew members. CHP reviews that roughly 2,000 company are at the moment onboard, which suggests that almost 3% of company and 1% of crew members are contaminated.

The first signs have been vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, which is in step with the suspicion of norovirus. No people have required any vital medical intervention or hospitalization.

Preliminary testing did affirm norovirus as the reason for the sickness. Additional testing continues to be ongoing.

When Westerdam arrived in Hong Kong at roughly 4 a.m., native well being authorities and medical workers inspected the vessel, together with meals hygiene practices. A brief medical station was arrange within the cruise terminal for passenger well being assessments.

Whereas company have been off the vessel, thorough cleansing and disinfecting occurred to assist decrease any additional unfold or contamination.

“After inspecting the cruise ship, the CHP personnel briefed the affected people and the operator on well being recommendation and needed an infection management measures, together with thorough disinfection, correct dealing with of vomit, and a spotlight to private and environmental hygiene,” mentioned Dr. Edwin Tsui.

“Moreover, the CHP personnel supplied detailed details about norovirus to arriving passengers and crew, advising them to hunt medical consideration promptly in the event that they develop associated signs.”

Hong Kong CHP officers additionally notified well being authorities within the Philippines of the incident and the measures which have already been taken to reduce the outbreak.

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It will assist make sure the ship’s subsequent vacation spot, Palawan Island within the Philippines on Wednesday, March 4, could make additional assessments if wanted. Westerdam may even name at Boracay Island on March 5, adopted by Manila on March 6.

Additional locations on the itinerary embody ports in Taiwan and Japan earlier than the ship returns to Tokyo on Sunday, March 15 for debarkation. Presently, there are not any anticipated adjustments to the schedule or port visits.

Not Everybody Is Sick at As soon as

To be clear, whereas having 76 individuals in poor health with gastroenteritis signs might be regarding, not all circumstances have been reported concurrently.

The primary two circumstances have been truly reported the day Westerdam set sail on the present cruise, with different circumstances reported all through the previous two weeks. On the time the ship arrived in Hong Kong, simply three people have been experiencing minor signs.

Norovirus is transmitted very simply, primarily by way of contaminated surfaces or meals. Most individuals who expertise signs get better with out vital intervention inside 1-3 days.

Outbreaks are quite common on cruise ships and different crowded settings, together with faculties, inns, and care services.

Cruise Hive has usually reported on totally different outbreaks, most lately aboard Seven Seas Mariner in January 2026, in addition to Rotterdam, additionally in January. In response to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand sanitizer just isn’t efficient in opposition to norovirus and thorough handwashing is finest.

Contaminated people may proceed to unfold norovirus for as much as two weeks after they really feel higher, making it tough to regulate outbreaks.