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Cruise Passenger Dies Amid Norovirus Outbreak That Sickened Dozens

By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 6, 2025.

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2025 -- A norovirus outbreak aboard the P&O Cruises’ Arcadia ship last fall left dozens of passengers confined to their cabins and is now linked to the death of a 77-year-old British passenger.

Alan Forster, a retired teacher from Paignton, England, fell sick with norovirus two weeks into the month-long voyage with his wife, and later died from suspected kidney failure, his family said.

The outbreak aboard the Arcadia is part of a larger trend in rising norovirus cases on cruise ships.

Just last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported three separate outbreaks of norovirus affecting hundreds of passengers aboard other cruise ships.

The Arcadia, in particular, left Southampton on Sept. 3 and made stops in New York, Boston, Halifax, and Nova Scotia. However, the ship faced an outbreak of a highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain, the news release says.

According to a CDC report, 128 of the 1,959 passengers onboard experienced symptoms between Sept. 3 and Oct. 3.

Forster collapsed a week after reporting symptoms and was placed on a drip in the ship’s medical bay, according to his family.

However, they say that no additional treatment was given until the ship docked in St. John's, Canada, where Forster was hospitalized due to his deteriorating condition and kidney failure.

“I blame myself," Dianna Forster, Forster's wife, told Independent.

“All we want now is some answers to help understand what happened and what can be done to prevent this horrendous and ongoing ordeal from happening to anyone else,” Dianna added.

Jatinder Paul, the family’s lawyer, called Forster’s rapid decline “deeply concerning,” and emphasized the importance of investigating potential failings aboard the ship and the delays in accessing proper care.

“While there’s nothing that can change what happened, we’re now investigating and are determined to get Dianna, John and Iain the answers they deserve,” Paul said.

P&O Cruises expressed sympathy for the family and said it had launched an investigation.

“We were saddened to receive a letter from solicitors informing us of the death of Mr Forster approximately three weeks after his disembarkation from Arcadia and making a claim for compensation," the release states.

“A preliminary review indicates that when medical staff were informed of Mr Forster’s deteriorating health, care was initiated and onward specialist review and support facilitated at a shoreside hospital. We will investigate the matters alleged and respond as appropriate to the solicitors once the investigation has been completed.”

This time of year, when people have traveled and spent time together over the holidays, often sees norovirus outbreaks. Handwashing with soap and water is your best defense.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in Nashville, Tennessee, told All Things Considered that using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wipes won’t protect you from the virus, which can survive on surfaces for days or even weeks.

The virus spreads very readily. "It takes only a small amount of virus to actually infect you," Schaffner says.

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted January 2025

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