"Perceptions that cruise ships can be luxury breeding grounds for acute gastroenteritis outbreaks don't hold water," according to a statement from the CDC published in JAMA.
In JAMA, the CDC presented data that contradicted common misperceptions about illness and cruise ships. The report indicated that from 2008 to 2014, only 0.18 percent of more than 73 million cruise passengers and 0.15 percent of some 28 million crew members reported symptoms of acute gastroenteritis. Laboratory data and ship records were compiled and show that the rate of stomach viruses on cruise ships have trended downward, from 27.2 cases per 100,000 travel days in 2008 to 22.3 cases in 2014.
The CDC has credited this decline with the practical implementation of preventative measures by cruise ships, including the proliferation of hand-washing stations and the isolation of suspected cases.
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