Over 100 passengers fall ill with contagious virus on cruise to San Francisco

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified an outbreak of norovirus, often called the stomach flu, on a cruise ship that returned to San Francisco Thursday morning. 

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A spokesperson for Princess Cruises told SFGATE in an email that “a limited number of guests” reported “mild gastrointestinal illness” during the Ruby Princess voyage that left San Francisco on June 12. The company added that its crew implemented “enhanced sanitation protocols” and that cases have since decreased. 

Representatives for the Ruby Princess cruise first reported the outbreak to the CDC on June 28, as part of protocol for the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which supports the cruise industry in preventing and controlling public health issues.

The CDC found that 102 passengers reported illnesses during the voyage, along with 23 crew members on board. Together, it’s less than 5% of the total people onboard. 

A highly contagious virus, norovirus passes to people through contaminated food, water or surfaces. The predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. It’s recommended to frequently wash hands with soap and water since hand sanitizer alone does not work well against the virus. Most people recover on their own within one to three days, although people who become severely dehydrated should seek medical attention, the CDC advises.

In the Bay Area, Norovirus was circulating at high levels in Palo Alto, San Jose, Fremont, Vallejo and Novato in mid-June, according to data from WastewaterSCAN. According to data from the Southeast San Francisco treatment plant, virus levels peaked this year at the end of January. The city is currently experiencing a low level of the virus, according to wastewater data.

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As scheduled, the Ruby Princess arrived in San Francisco the morning of July 2 and is . The last port was Prince Rupert City in British Columbia. The Princess Cruises spokesperson wrote that the vessel will be “undergoing comprehensive cleaning and disinfection prior to departing in the afternoon” at 4 p.m. The cruise’s next port is Ketchikan, Alaska.

“As the landlord for cruise terminal facilities, the Port’s role is to ensure that our tenants follow required notification procedures with the appropriate public health authorities,” Port of San Francisco spokesperson Eric Young wrote in an email. “In alignment with standard protocols, the vessel is undergoing a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection process prior to onboarding new passengers and its scheduled departure this afternoon.”

Editor’s note: This article was updated 5:30 p.m., July 3, to reflect an updated docking schedule provided to SFGATE by the Port. On July 2, the Ruby Princess docked at Pier 27.