Parker Waichman LLP

Norovirus Study Blames Dirty Bathrooms on Cruise Ships

A <“https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/norovirus”>norovirus outbreak has ruined more than one cruise vacation. Now a new study suggests that keeping public restrooms on cruse ships clean could go a long way in preventing norovirus among passengers and crew. Unfortunately, the study, which was published in the journal “Clinical Infections Diseases” found that public bathrooms on cruise ships are […]

A <“https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/norovirus”>norovirus outbreak has ruined more than one cruise vacation. Now a new study suggests that keeping public restrooms on cruse ships clean could go a long way in preventing norovirus among passengers and crew.

Unfortunately, the study, which was published in the journal “Clinical Infections Diseases” found that public bathrooms on cruise ships are not being cleaned properly. What’s more, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which runs a cruise ship sanitation program, is not doing a very good job of detecting the dirty cruise ship bathrooms.

The study used trained health care professionals to covertly evaluate the “Thoroughness of Disinfection Cleaning” of 6 standardized objects (toilet seat, flush handle or button, toilet stall inner handhold, stall inner door handle, restroom inner door handle, and baby changing table surfaces) with high potential for fecal contamination in cruise ship public restrooms. To do this, the investigators used an easily removable solution visible only under ultraviolet light to mark the objects. Then they monitored them for five to seven days to see if the solution had been removed by cleaning or disinfecting.

Over the course of the study, the investigative team evaluated 56 cruise ships (less than 30 percent of the vessels operated by 9 large cruise lines) from July 2005 through August 2008. There were 19 outbreaks of intestinal illness during the 3-year study period. While the survey was not designed to detect norovirus or establish the cause of any illness, the restroom cleanliness scores were slightly lower on ships that had outbreaks than on those that had none.

The investigators found that 37 percent of 8,344 objects in 273 randomly selected cruise ship public restrooms were cleaned daily. The “Thoroughness of Disinfection Cleaning” did not differ by cruise line and did not correlate with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program inspection scores.

According to the study, more than half the cruise ships had overall “Thoroughness of Disinfection Cleaning” scores under 30 percent, although several of these low-scoring ships had near-perfect CDC sanitation scores. The mean “Thoroughness of Disinfection Cleaning” score of the three ships evaluated within four months of an norovirus outbreak (10.3%) was substantially less than the mean “Thoroughness of Disinfection Cleaning” score of the 40 ships that did not experience such an outbreak (40.4).

Norovirus, which can survive for weeks on surfaces at room temperature, can be difficult to eliminate, and can only be killed with chorine bleach. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers and other preparations are not too helpful.

Norovirus outbreaks occur frequently in closed populations, such as cruise ship passengers According to The New York Times, there have been more than 60 outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships since 2005.

What Our Clients Say About Us
We have worked with thousands of clients and we appreciate them and their positive reviews. Here are just a few recent client reviews...
5 Star Reviews 150
I have to admit I've been dealing with lots of professional people in my lifetime and Tina Morace has to be up there as a number one candidate. she was very attentive, caring, and on top of her game. because of her amazing work I will definitely recommend Parker Waichman to my family, friends and colleagues. Thank you Tina!! Great Job!!
Casimiro Cuevas
2 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
This is my second time using Parker Waichman, needless to say I was pleased the first time. This time I was blessed to have David Aminov. This man works hard! Always updating me on my case which I’ve had open since 2018. I am very pleased, & will be recommending everyone I know to Parker Waichman. Thank you again, I appreciate you all so much, especially Mr. Aminov.
Logan Oliver
4 weeks ago
5 Star Reviews 150
To the employees Ana, Jorge & Jillian. I am very thankful for the effort that they did all this time in my case, they are helpful people and they take their job seriously. Thank You regards Jose Aguaiza.
franklin orlando
8 months ago

Why Choose Us to Help You?

We Take Care of Everything
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
No Recovery = No Legal Fees
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid from a portion of your settlement or jury award. If you don't get compensation, you owe us nothing.
Decades of Experience
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
Respected by Our Peers
Judges, insurance adjusters, and fellow attorneys all speak highly of our skills, and we've earned numerous accolades, including a flawless rating from AVVO.
We Have Many Locations To Serve You
We have the experience and the skilled litigators to win your case. Contact us and speak with a real attorney who can help you.
Long Island – Nassau
Parker Waichman LLP
6 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, NY 11050
Long Island – Suffolk
Parker Waichman LLP
201 Old Country Road – Suite 145
Melville, NY 11747
New York
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Queens
Parker Waichman LLP
118-35 Queens Boulevard, Suite 400
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Brooklyn
Parker Waichman LLP
300 Cadman Plaza West
One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
New Jersey
Parker Waichman LLP
80 Main Street, Suite 265
West Orange, NJ 07052
Florida
Parker Waichman LLP
27299 Riverview Center Boulevard
Suite 108
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Nationwide Service
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038