Norovirus Confirmed on Cruise Ship

By Wendy Osher

A norovirus outbreak has been confirmed aboard a cruise ship that was last docked in Lahaina, Maui.

State epidemiologists tell Maui Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention verified the norovirus activity and said it began on the Star Princess before the ship entered the state.

Hawaiʻi health officials say from their perspective, that means the disease was not introduced as a result of an outbreak or ill persons here.

“We will continue to be vigilant and maintain our regular disease surveillance, but we’re hopeful that the strict quarantine of ill passengers practiced by the cruise ship means we’re unlikely to see introduction of disease activity from this ship, and we haven’t been seeing an inordinate amount of norovirus disease lately,” state health officials said in an email communication.

Health officials say the ship left yesterday.

A request for comment from Princess Cruises was not returned in time for this posting.