British cruise ship denied entry to Gibraltar due to norovirus outbreak

Rasha Ali | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Norovirus: What to know about the wide-spread illness Here is everything you need to know about the highly contagious norovirus.

A British cruise ship was refused entry at the Port of Gibraltar and sent back to dock at Southampton, England, after norovirus broke out on board.

Saga's Spirit of Discovery was returning from a trip around Italy and Spain Saturday when it was turned away at Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on Spain's southern coast.

Fox News and The New Zealand Herald reported the number of norovirus cases was as high as 89 at one point but Saga spokeswoman Angela Clifton said that only 55 people have any remaining symptoms.

"We have a number of individuals suffering from a gastrointestinal illness on-board Spirit of Discovery, following her recent cruise to Italy. The ship has continued with her journey back to Southampton, concluding this cruise," Clifton said.

She noted, "Tests have confirmed that the illness onboard was the Winter Vomiting bug," referencing another name for norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness that the Centers for Disease Control website says tends to strike between November and April.

“Our high hygiene standards and well-practiced procedures mean that the illness has remained contained," Clifton added. "The health of our customers is of paramount importance to us and we shall continue to take all appropriate steps to ensure their well-being.”

According to Saga's website, The Spirit of Discovery, whose capacity is nearly 1,000, typically carries more than 800 passengers and 500 crew members.

News of Saga's norovirus outbreak came mere hours after the illness struck another ship. Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess was forced to turn around Monday and head back to Florida after 299 passengers and 22 crew members became sick.

More: Princess Cruise passengers quarantined after coronavirus outbreak on board

What is norovirus and how is it treated?

According to the CDC, norovirus inflames the stomach or intestines, causing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Other symptoms include fever, headache and body aches.

The virus, which is highly contagious, is the leading culprit of foodborne illness. It's transmitted by consuming contaminated food or liquids, direct contact with an infected person (especially sharing food or utensils) or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching one's mouth.

The CDC notes that there are no specific medications to treat norovirus and antibiotics don't work since they target bacteria. Because frequent vomiting and diarrhea can bring on dehydration, bad cases are often treated with intravenous fluids. Patients with less severe cases are advised to drink plenty of fluids to replace what they lost.

Infected people typically become symptomatic within 12 to 48 hours and recover within one to three days.

Norovirus not uncommon on cruise ships

Oasis of the Seas Returns to Port Canaveral Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas returns to port a day early after an outbreak of Norovirus.

Prior to the incidents on the Caribbean Princess and Spirit of Discovery, there was a major outbreak aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas in January 2019, sickening hundreds.

The CDC said that 561 passengers and 31 crew members were treated for norovirus on the cruise out of Port Canaveral, Florida. That’s more than the total number of passengers who fell ill from the norovirus on every cruise that set sail in 2018, the CDC said.

All told, there were eight instances of norovirus outbreaks and a total of 1,142 cases on cruise ships in 2019. Prior to that, the cases of norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses had been declining in recent years. There were 356 cases in 2018, the second-lowest figure since 2001.

Getting passengers to wash their hands frequently while on ships, increased use of hand-sanitizing gel and better cleaning regimes all have helped.

Worried about getting sick on a cruise? Here's how to sanitize your cabin in 12 steps

Contributing: Morgan Hines, Bruce Horovitz, Kaiser Health News; Jennifer Sangalang, Florida Today and The Associated Press