National Geographic Sea Bird GI Outbreak: Alaska Cruise Ship Hit With Third Illness Outbreak in Just Two Months

The National Geographic Sea Bird cruise ship has reported its third gastrointestinal illness outbreak in two months, sickening 18 of 62 passengers. The first two outbreaks were confirmed as norovirus, while the cause of this latest illness remains unknown.

An Alaska cruise ship can’t seem to shake it. The National Geographic Sea Bird, operated by Lindblad Expeditions, has now reported its third gastrointestinal illness outbreak in only two months, sickening nearly two dozen people on board, according to a report from People.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flagged the latest outbreak in a report this week. The illness was reported to the agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program on July 12, making it the third time in two months that passengers or crew on this particular ship have fallen ill.

Out of 62 passengers on board, 18 came down with symptoms including vomiting and abdominal cramps, People reports. Unlike the two previous outbreaks, which were both confirmed as norovirus, the cause behind this most recent round of illness is currently listed as unknown.

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The most recent outbreak took place during a voyage running from July 10 to July 15. According to CruiseMapper, the ship’s route during that stretch included stops in Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Haines, Tracy Arm Fjord and Juneau, all popular destinations along the Alaska coastline.

Beyond isolating those affected, the cruise line also reviewed its cleaning and sanitation protocols with the agency. Crews ramped up cleaning and disinfection efforts in line with the company’s outbreak prevention and response plan.

The Vessel Sanitation Program is continuing to keep an eye on the situation from a distance, monitoring both the cruise line’s sanitation measures and how it responds moving forward.