Norovirus to New York

The Regal Princess cruise ship of over 2000 passengers and crew arrives in New York today. And 322 of the crew members and passengers suffer from a Norwalk-virus like illness. The Norwalk virus is a norovirus, and the CDC's description basically says it's diarrhea, cramping, low-grade fever...think stomach flu. The ship, after being escorted from the New York Harbor to 55th Street and 12th Avenue by the Coast Guard, will be boarded by the CDC, who will determine the cause of the outbreak and review procedure to deal with it.

Newsday notes that past cruise ships infected with noroviruses were "disinfected with a strong bleach and put back into use immediately." Then the article adds ominously, "For people, there is no such cure." Yeah, well, Gothamist has had stomach viruses and recovered, but we're still making a mental note not to go near the docks anytime soon.