A Radiance of the Seas Salmonella outbreak has sickened at least 180 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And three crew members were sick.
The voyage dates for that cruise were September 20 to September 27, 2024. The voyage number is 20118. There were 2,172 passengers on the ship.
Outbreaks on cruise ships can be common, but they are usually caused by norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes the same symptoms as Salmonella. The close quarters of ships makes transmission of bacteria and viruses easy.
During the outbreak, Royal Caribbean International and the crew on the ship made announcements to notify people of the outbreak, encourage case reporting, and stress good hygiene, especially handwashing. Stool specimens were collected for testing, and cleaning and disinfection procedures were increased.
The report did not mention if the outbreak was caused by contaminated food and drink or through contact with a sick person or contaminated surfaces. Salmonella bacteria can contaminate any food.
The report also did not state whether or not any of the sick passengers required hospitalization. About 20% of patients in the typical Salmonella outbreak need to be hospitalized, usually because of dehydration or sepsis.
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually start 6 to 72 hours after infection, although it may take as long as a week before someone starts to get sick. Symptoms can include nausea, headache, fever, chills, stomach pain, vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, and diarrhea that can be bloody. Complications of this infection, even after complete recovery, can include reactive arthritis, endocarditis, irritable bowel syndrome, and high blood pressure.
If you were a passenger on that ship in late September and have been ill with the symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning, see your doctor. You may be part of this Radiance of the Seas Salmonella outbreak.