Public Health confirms protocols were followed after cruise ship outbreak

Santo Domingo.- Víctor Atallah said the Dominican public should remain calm following the arrival of the Caribbean Princess in Puerto Plata after a Norovirus outbreak affected more than 100 passengers and crew members during the voyage.

According to Atallah, Dominican health authorities activated all required protocols when the ship docked. The vessel departed the country on Friday at 5:00 p.m., and only 37 passengers remained in isolation and did not disembark. Officials inspected the ship and monitored the health of those affected, who were kept in their cabins under special care and dietary measures.

The minister noted that the outbreak began on April 28 and that most of the more than 120 reported cases had improved by the time the cruise reached the Dominican Republic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had previously confirmed the outbreak of Norovirus, which commonly causes vomiting and diarrhea and spreads quickly in enclosed spaces such as cruise ships.