Guests and crew onboard the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity have reported being ill during the current voyage. Some 111 guests and 7 crew members have reported norovirus symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea. According to United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the code red was implemented when 5.19% of the total 2,140 passengers onboard were affected and 0.72% of the 970 crew members. A CDC environmental health officer and two environmental health officers will board the ship upon arrival at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on May 2, in order to conduct an environmental health assessment.

Following the Vessel Sanitation Program, Celebrity Infinity crew has implemented the necessary procedures to try to contain the spread of the virus. Affected passengers and crew are isolated in their cabins and they are treated by the ship’s doctor with over-the-counter medication.

In response to the outbreak, Celebrity Cruises reported sending corporate personnel to assist the onboard management with infection control response plan.

The cruise line has reported taking the following actions to prevent the spread of the virus:

• - Increasing cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan.
• - Making announcements to notify passengers and crew of the outbreak, encourage case reporting, and encourage good hand hygiene.
• - Collecting clinical specimens from passenger and crew gastrointestinal illness cases for testing by Centers for Disease Control.
• - Making twice-daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to VSP.

Celebrity Infinity departed from San Diego on April, 14 for a 15 Night Eastbound Panama Canal Voyage with final destination Fort Lauderdale.