
Nearly 25 guests, crew sick in luxury cruise gastrointestinal outbreak
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Norovirus: Symptoms and prevention of 'stomach flu'
When norovirus cases spike, these are symptoms you should watch out for and measures you can take for prevention.
Twenty-four people reported gastrointestinal illness on a recent Regent Seven Seas Cruises sailing.
The CDC is investigating the outbreak, but the cause is currently unknown.
This incident is part of a larger trend of gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships this year.
Nearly 25 people got sick in a gastrointestinal outbreak on a Regent Seven Seas Cruises sailing that ended Wednesday.
Among 666 guests on board its Seven Seas Explorer ship, 22 reported being ill, along with two crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their main symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea.
The health agency listed the causative agent as unknown.
The ship departed from Tokyo on April 26 for a cruise through Japan and Alaska before arriving in Vancouver, according to CruiseMapper. The cruise line consulted with the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program and isolated sick guests and crew, among other measures, the agency said.
Regent did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
There have been 17 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met the CDC's threshold for public notification so far this year, most of which were caused by norovirus. There were 18 outbreaks in all of 2024, and 14 the previous year.
The CDC told USA TODAY in April that although 'the number of recent cruise ship outbreaks has been higher than in years prior to the pandemic, we do not yet know if this represents a new trend.'
'However, CDC data show a newly dominant strain is currently associated with reported norovirus outbreaks on land,' the agency said in an emailed statement. 'Ships typically follow the pattern of land-based outbreaks, which are higher this norovirus season.'
The illness is frequently associated with cruises, but those make up just 1% of all outbreaks reported. Dr. David J. Weber, the Charles Addison and Elizabeth Ann Sanders Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine, previously told USA TODAY that the vessels are conducive to the spread of norovirus since passengers and crew are confined to relatively small spaces and often eat together.
'So, most (outbreaks) are not occurring on cruise ships, but the cruise ships are a perfect setting for it,' Weber, who is also a professor of epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, said in April.
Seven Seas Explorer wasn't the only ship with illness on board this month. A number of passengers aboard Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady had stomach flu symptoms during a cruise from Greece to Croatia and Montenegro that ended May 11.
'Out of an abundance of caution, our medical team isolated these travelers and immediately enacted enhanced sanitization procedures, including additional cleaning of cabins and high-contact areas around the ship,' the cruise line said in an emailed statement. 'We are working closely with health officials and their medical professionals.'
The number of impacted passengers and cause of illness were not immediately available.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
5 things to know for July 10: FEMA, Ukraine, FBI investigations, Secret Service, NASA
5 Things Federal agencies Space programs Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow Medical associations representing hundreds of thousands of doctors and scientists are suing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as the heads of the FDA, NIH and CDC, for limiting who can get Covid-19 vaccines and for undermining overall vaccine confidence. Experts said these changes could create new barriers to vaccines for those who want them. Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day. For months, officials at FEMA have been warning that the agency is unprepared for disasters due to the mass exodus of experienced emergency managers and the looming threat of it being dismantled. They were proven right last week when floodwaters surged across central Texas and bureaucratic obstacles hindered FEMA's ability to respond, four officials inside the agency told CNN. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a memo in June that said she must personally approve every contract and grant over $100,000. Under that directive, FEMA officials couldn't pre-position Urban Search and Rescue crews closer to the disaster zone because Noem didn't authorize their deployment until more than 72 hours after the flooding began, multiple sources told CNN. Texas also requested aerial imagery from FEMA to aid search operations, a source told CNN; however, that response was delayed while awaiting Noem's signature on the necessary contract. The FBI is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey for possible false statements to Congress, according to a person briefed on the matter. The probe was reportedly launched after current CIA Director John Ratcliffe released a review last week that criticized the 2016 US intelligence community assessment that found Russian President Vladimir Putin had sought to intervene in the election on Donald Trump's behalf. Ratcliffe's review did not dispute the intelligence community's finding that Putin preferred Trump to then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. However, he claimed the assessment 'was conducted through an atypical & corrupt process.' When asked about the investigation, Brennan said nobody from the FBI, DOJ or CIA had reached out to him. The CIA and Comey declined to comment. Secret Service agents who were involved in securing the 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump was injured and a rallygoer was killed by a would-be assassin, have been suspended, according to multiple sources. Several agents at the service's Pittsburgh field office, along with one agent on Trump's detail that day and a counter-sniper, were issued suspensions ranging from a few weeks to over a month. At least two are appealing their suspensions. Numerous Congressional investigations and federal reports found multiple failures that day, including communication breakdowns with local police who spotted the shooter and confronted him on a nearby roof. President Trump announced on Wednesday that he has named Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the interim NASA administrator. 'Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country's Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,' Trump wrote on his social media site. NASA administrators are typically selected from a pool of scientists, engineers, academics or public servants. Duffy is a former congressman and former co-host of the Fox Business show, 'The Bottom Line.' Dozens of workers rescued after LA tunnel collapseMore than 100 members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, including all of their Urban Search and Rescue teams, raced to the scene Wednesday night after a portion of a massive tunnel collapsed, trapping the workers underground. Using cranes and rescue cages, the first responders were able to safely retrieve all 31 workers. GET '5 THINGS' IN YOUR INBOX If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Actress Olivia Munn took a free, online breast cancer risk assessment test that helped lead to her diagnosis in 2023. That same test saved her mom's life as well. A genetic engineering startup has added a huge, flightless bird that once inhabited New Zealand to its list of extinct animals it wants to resurrect. Netflix announced that the reboot of 'Queer Eye' will end after its 10th season.. Did you know that British rock band Queen almost didn't give its memorable performance at the 1985 charity concert Live Aid? Keep your eyes on the horizon tonight to see the peak of July's full buck moon. $393 millionThat's roughly how much Democratic Party PAC and fundraising platform ActBlue raised during the second quarter of this year, which is nearly on par with the $400 million it processed in the first quarter. 'Anti-Muslim bigotry should have no place in Congress.' — Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, in a post on X after GOP Rep. Randy Fine called her a 'Muslim terrorist' online. Top House Democratic leaders are now demanding that he apologize. 🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect. Japan's panda town was booming. But the four bears at its local zoo really belong to China, and China wants them back. Today's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan.


Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
When Massachusetts battled the scourge of measles — and won
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT The US has officially recorded more measles cases this year than in any since Johnny Carson left 'The Tonight Show.' Newly released CDC data shows Advertisement US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The outbreaks are a consequence of growing public skepticism of vaccines. The shot against measles, called the MMR vaccine, is safe and highly effective. But fewer US children have been getting it recently, helping revive a virus that the US declared eliminated here in 2000. Measles has killed three Americans so far this year, all of them unvaccinated. But there was a time when the public, doctors, and public officials in Massachusetts and around the country worked together to guard against measles — despite resistance that foreshadowed the antivaccine sentiment behind today's outbreaks. Today we're taking a look back at that time, courtesy of the Globe's archives. Double elimination The eradication of measles, which European colonists brought to what would become the United States, didn't happen by accident. It was the result of innovation, education, and cooperation among local, state, and federal governments. Advertisement The measles vaccine Yet even as early vaccines became more available, uptake languished. Getting people to take it required changing minds. In 1965, medical writer Lawrence Galton lamented in the Globe that millions of children remained vulnerable because of parental apathy ('Most of them still believe the myth of the harmlessness of measles') and cost (shots could range as high as $15 each, more than $150 today). It's true that most measles cases are mild. But as Galton put it, 'a disease popularly supposed to be only a trifle' can in rare cases cause pneumonia or brain damage. To overcome indifference and cost barriers, Massachusetts public health officials launched a statewide campaign. Woburn, aiming to become the country's first measles-free city, gave out the vaccine for cheap or for free. On one Sunday in March 1965, it inoculated nearly 1,000 kids. ('Measles Shots Popular With Woburn Toddler Set,' The effort paid off. In one year, the state cut measles cases by 95 percent. 'Epidemic diseases that used to kill thousands of children in Massachusetts every year are unknown to today's parents, thanks to one of the brightest chapters in American medicine,' marveled Herbert Black, the Globe's medical editor, citing progress against measles, polio, and other diseases. Advertisement The country followed. In late 1966, federal health officials announced a nationwide vaccination drive, setting a goal of eradicating measles by the following year. It ultimately took longer — and the fight may not be over. If vaccination rates keep falling and outbreaks like this year's become the norm, measles Seeds of backlash As successful as Massachusetts' anti-measles crusade was, it also previewed some of the antivaccine sentiments fueling today's outbreaks. While most localities held clinics, some small towns refused. Stow, which then had a population of around 3,200, was one. By May 1966, it had recorded 80 measles cases — three times more than Boston, with a population of nearly 750,000. Then as now, even some in positions of authority tried to dissuade vaccination. Braintree's health agent told the Globe that the town was 'not interested' in a clinic, citing the shot's side effects. Dr. Nicholas Fiumara, who led the state's division of communicable diseases, accused him of 'spreading false fears about a rare and mild response.' Those impulses persist today. Measles began spreading among conservative Mennonites, who are often suspicious of vaccines, in West Texas earlier this year. Even as cases mounted, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — President Trump's health secretary, whose vaccine falsehoods found greater purchase during the COVID pandemic — was slow to full-throatedly endorse the vaccine. The CDC, which Kennedy oversees, yesterday Advertisement Even New England isn't immune from the trend. The region's overall childhood vaccination rate remains high, but some states Yet for all that has changed, the words of Fiumara, the official who led Massachusetts' charge against measles in the 1960s, remain true. 'This is a needless disease,' he told the Globe back then. 'No one has to have it.' For more: If you're curious about whether you or a loved one should get vaccinated or boosted against measles, check out 🧩 1 Across: 73° POINTS OF INTEREST The remains of an apartment building known as the Heartbreak Hotel in Plainfield, Vt., still loom over the Great Brook a year after flooding pulled much of it downstream, displacing 12 tenants. Paul Heintz for The Boston Globe Moving up: A year after floods ravaged a small Vermont community, residents are trying to Local impact: About 300,000 Massachusetts residents who qualify for Medicaid are at risk of losing coverage because of Trump's tax law. The state is preparing an outreach effort ICE raids: A Massachusetts state representative introduced legislation to bar federal immigration agents from wearing masks Tariffs: Trump threatened Brazil with a 50 percent import duty over its effort to prosecute Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who allegedly attempted a coup. ( Advertisement Transgender rights: The Trump administration sued California for letting trans athletes compete in girls sports. ( Political violence: Federal agents arrested a Providence man Joe Biden: The former president's doctor refused to testify to House Republicans about Biden's mental fitness in office, citing physician-patient privilege and the Fifth Amendment. ( Ex-CEO: Linda Yaccarino stepped down from X, Elon Musk's social media company, after its built-in AI chatbot posted antisemitic comments. ( South Korea: Yoon Suk Yeol, the country's former president who was removed from office for declaring martial law, is back in custody after prosecutors argued he might destroy evidence. ( Asked and answered: Globe reporter Andrew Brinker will be BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 📖 Hot takes: Summer and paperbacks just seem to go together: Light and relaxed. Here are ⏰ New TikTok: If you want to keep using the popular app after its possible forced sale, you may have to download a version that TikTok is building just for US users. ( 💔 'Grief has no time frame': After her husband died, she couldn't bear to put his car in her name. But Advertisement 🐦⬛ Bird detectives: If you see a bird flying by sporting a backpack, it's not carrying gym clothes. UNH researchers have placed tiny, solar-powered tags on salt marsh sparrows to provide data about marsh restoration. ( 👢 Boot up: Stars from Beyoncé to Lady Gaga have sported his fancy footwear, 🥘 Does a host do the most? The letter writer in this classic Miss Conduct column isn't sure 🚴♂️ Free rides: Given various T closures this summer, Bluebikes Boston is giving out a $20 credit that can be used any time until the end of the year. Use code BLUECROSSMAMBTA2 in the app. ( Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at


Medscape
3 hours ago
- Medscape
AMR Isn't Just Coming but Already Undermining Your Practice
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent public health challenges in 2025. This phenomenon occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve resistance to drugs that were once effective. According to the CDC's 2025 report, AMR could lead to as many as 10 million deaths annually by 2050, overtaking major diseases like cancer. AMR stems from the natural evolutionary ability of microbes to survive selective pressure from antimicrobials. This process is significantly accelerated by the overuse and misuse of these drugs in human health, veterinary medicine, and agriculture. Resistant infections often require longer treatment courses, are associated with increased disability and mortality, and lead to extended hospital stays and higher healthcare costs — placing a growing burden on health systems and global economies. The CDC estimates at least 2.8 million resistant infections and over 35,000 related deaths annually in the US alone. Resistance Mechanisms AMR typically arises through two primary mechanisms: spontaneous genetic mutations and horizontal gene transfer (via conjugation, transformation, or transduction). Recent findings outline several well-characterized resistance pathways: Target modification: Structural alterations in drug targets — often key proteins or cell components — can prevent effective drug binding. Enzyme production: Certain bacteria produce enzymes such as beta-lactamases that deactivate antibiotics like penicillins and cephalosporins. These enzymes are increasingly common in gram-negative species such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae . and . Efflux pumps and permeability barriers: Some bacteria limit drug entry or actively expel antibiotics using multidrug efflux pumps. This is particularly problematic in gram-negative organisms due to their additional outer membrane. These resistance mechanisms can coexist within a single organism, giving rise to 'pan-resistant' strains that are unaffected by nearly all available antimicrobial agents. Resistance can emerge rapidly — even during the course of treatment — turning previously susceptible infections resistant mid-therapy and narrowing treatment options dramatically. Recent Trends and Global Data New international data highlight the accelerating spread of AMR, with particularly concerning developments across both bacterial and fungal pathogens. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s 2024 Bacterial Priority Pathogens List documented rising resistance rates in K pneumoniae and E coli , especially in Asia and Africa — regions where therapeutic options remain severely limited. These findings align with projections from a 2024 commentary published in The Lancet , which estimates that AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. In the US, the CDC reported that more than 35% of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections in 2024 were caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms. This surge is driven in large part by the horizontal transmission of resistance genes via mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and transposons. MDR tuberculosis also continues to pose a serious global health threat. Data from Eastern Europe and parts of Asia show that over 20% of new tuberculosis cases now involve MDR strains. These cases require longer, more toxic regimens and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes, adding further strain to public health systems. Fungal resistance is emerging as a parallel crisis. A recent review reported that more than 90% of Candida auris isolates collected from hospitals in Europe and North America were resistant to multiple antifungal agents. This poses a serious risk to patients who are immunocompromised and critically ill, particularly in ICUs where infection control remains challenging. Despite the growing threat, treatment pipelines remain thin. While several new antimicrobial agents are under investigation, most remain in preclinical or early clinical stages. The report underscores an urgent need for sustained investment in antimicrobial drug development to replenish a shrinking therapeutic arsenal. Adding to the concern, recent studies describe the emergence of novel resistance mechanisms in gram-positive pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Some strains have developed traits that compromise the efficacy of even newly approved agents — further complicating treatment strategies and escalating costs of care. As AMR continues to evolve across multiple fronts, these findings reinforce the need for comprehensive, coordinated strategies to monitor resistance patterns; support antimicrobial stewardship; and accelerate therapeutic innovation. Economic Toll The global economic impact of AMR could be staggering. The 2024 Lancet commentary projects that AMR could result in up to $100 trillion in economic losses by 2050. The burden is expected to fall disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries, where weaker health systems and limited access to effective therapies could exacerbate existing disparities in both health outcomes and economic development. Clinical consequences are already evident in hospitals around the world. Recent research shows that resistant healthcare-associated infections — such as bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonias — are associated with mortality rates approaching 30% higher in patients in resource-limited settings. Contributing factors include poor hospital infrastructure, limited access to diagnostics and therapeutics, and inadequate infection control measures. Meanwhile, a 2024 review highlights the growing threat of hospital-acquired infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa — both of which exhibit high levels of resistance to multiple antibiotic classes. Without effective interventions, these infections may become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to treat, further driving up hospital mortality and straining intensive care resources. Emerging Strategies and Solutions Several promising strategies are being explored to slow AMR progression and strengthen the clinical response. Development of new antimicrobials: Recent research highlights novel compounds designed to overcome common resistance mechanisms. While early in development, these agents may offer new hope against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Alternative therapies: Early-phase studies suggest that bacteriophage therapy and antibacterial nanoparticles could serve as complementary approaches to combat infections that no longer respond to conventional treatments. These technologies are gaining traction but require rigorous clinical validation. Antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance: Effective stewardship programs remain central to the AMR response. Core components include the rational prescribing of antimicrobials, real-time infection surveillance, and access to rapid diagnostic tools for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Education and global awareness: The WHO and CDC continue to emphasize the need for coordinated global education campaigns to promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials and curb self-medication — particularly in countries with weak regulatory oversight. National initiatives: In Spain, the 2025-2027 Plan Nacional frente a la Resistencia a los Antibióticos (National Plan against Antibiotic Resistance) stands out as a model. The plan includes enhanced epidemiologic surveillance, increased funding for antimicrobial research, ongoing training for healthcare providers, and public education campaigns. It also calls for integrated action across all levels of the health system to ensure a coordinated national response. Conclusions AMR is no longer a looming threat — it is a present-day global health emergency. Its continued spread is undermining the foundations of modern medicine, with far-reaching consequences for clinical care, public health, and global equity. As resistance mechanisms become increasingly complex and widespread, the therapeutic arsenal is shrinking — particularly in hospital settings and for vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, antibiotic development continues to lag, with most new agents stalled in early-phase research. To avoid a future where routine infections become untreatable, the global response must be ambitious and coordinated. Expanding antimicrobial stewardship, accelerating drug development through sustained investment, and enforcing rational prescribing practices are all urgent priorities. These efforts must be anchored in the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Education and behavior change are equally essential. Clinicians, patients, and policymakers all play a role in preserving the effectiveness of existing antimicrobials. And while emerging therapies such as phage therapy, nanomedicine, and immunomodulation offer hope, they require rigorous testing and clear regulatory pathways before they can be integrated into clinical practice. The window for action is narrowing — but meaningful progress is still possible. With global alignment, scientific innovation, and sustained commitment, the trajectory of AMR can be reversed.