A luxury cruise has become the focal point of health concerns after an outbreak of a "mystery illness" leading to widespread gastrointestinal symptoms among passengers and crew. The San Francisco-bound Queen Victoria, operated by Cunard Cruise Line, has docked with reports of over 150 individuals grappling with illness, including diarrhea and vomiting.

Despite arriving with fanfare, the ship's current voyage, which began on January 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been marred by the outbreak. According to the CDC, out of 1,824 passengers, 129 have reported being ill, marking a 7.07% infection rate, while 25 out of 967 crew members have also fallen sick, contributing a 2.59% rate. The illness's source remains unidentified as the ship's voyage number V405 comes to a less than triumphant end.

In the wake of the outbreak, Cunard Cruise Line has initiated increased cleaning and disinfection procedures as outlined in their outbreak prevention and response plan. Affected individuals are being isolated, and all aboard have been encouraged to report sickness promptly and maintain good hand hygiene, SFist reports. The ship is being closely monitored by the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which is remotely reviewing outbreak responses and sanitation tactics.

The floating luxury hotel is expected to continue its journey, with its next destination being Honolulu, Hawaii, scheduled to arrive on February 12. The total number of the gastrointestinal illness cases reported represents the cumulative amount for the entire voyage rather than the active cases at any port of call or at the point of disembarkation, according to a SFist coverage. This outbreak casts a shadow over the cruise industry, still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic years ago. With the Queen Victoria moored in the Bay Area, the next steps for passengers, crew, and the cruise line remain focused on health and safety.