More than 400 people on a cruise in the Caribbean are being treated for a gastrointestinal illness that is sweeping the ship.
About one out of every four of the 1,800 passengers on the
Celebrity Mercury has reported symptoms of upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea.
Keep reading to find out what the ship is doing to treat the outbreak and prevent it from spreading.
According to a Celebrity Cruise spokeswoman, Cynthia Martinez, the ship's crew is instructing passengers to stay in their cabins until the virus passes. The crew will also scour the ship with enhanced cleaning efforts.
Meanwhile, sick passengers have been given over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol and Imodium.
Get health & safety tips for cruises in our Cruise Travel section.
Celebrity brought on another doctor and two nurses Monday to help treat the hordes of ill passengers.
Although it is not apparent at this time what exactly is causing the stomach bug, the cruise line has sent some samples to a lab to be analyzed.
Spending any amount of time on a Caribbean cruise kneeling before the porcelain throne is a worst-case scenario for travelers. But Celebrity is giving passengers certificates for future cruises to help make up for the time spent in quarantine.
The 12-day cruise departed from Charleston, South Carolina on February 15. The
Celebrity Mercury has six more departures scheduled in upcoming months.
By Dan Bence for PeterGreenberg.com.
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