(The Epoch Times)—An outbreak of norovirus sickened 98 people on a Royal Caribbean cruise ahead of its final destination in Miami, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sept. 30.
The outbreak on the cruise line’s Serenade of the Seas was reported to the health agency over the past weekend. Around 94 passengers onboard the ship reported being ill, along with four crew members.
More than 2,700 passengers and crew members are on board the ship, the CDC says. According to a cruise tracking service, the Serenade of the Seas departed San Diego on Sept. 19 and is slated to arrive in Miami on Thursday, as it made stops in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.
The “causative agent” was listed by the CDC as norovirus, a group of viruses that can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting. The primary symptoms listed by the agency on the ongoing outbreak were vomiting and diarrhea.
In response to the norovirus outbreak, Royal Caribbean said that it will increase cleaning and disinfection procedures on board the ship, collect stool specimens for testing, isolate crew and passengers who have symptoms, and consult with the CDC on its procedures and reporting cases to the agency.
Responding to the CDC’s report, a spokesperson for the cruise operator told The Epoch Times on Thursday that “the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority,” adding that the company’s staff “implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.”
So far in 2025, there have been 19 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships. Fourteen of those outbreaks were caused by norovirus, according to the CDC.
An outbreak of the virus in July also impacted Royal Caribbean line Navigator of the Seas, which sickened 141 people out of more than 5,100 passengers and crew, the agency said.
Health officials say that symptoms of norovirus include vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. The virus also spreads easily through contaminated food or surfaces, or through close contact.
Symptoms of the virus generally start 12 to 48 hours after exposure, the Mayo Clinic says. Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea tend to last one to three days.
While most people recover without treatment, some people—such as older adults or young children—have to seek medical attention due to dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea, the clinic also says.
The CDC says that there are around 2,500 reported outbreaks of norovirus each year, and the virus usually spreads when infected individuals spread it to others via direct contact.
In a normal year, according to the CDC, norovirus causes between 19 million and 21 million cases of vomiting and diarrhea, 109,000 hospitalizations, and 900 deaths across the United States. The virus is associated with about 495,000 emergency department visits, mostly in younger children.
“Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruise ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas, and rapid turnover of passengers,” the agency says. When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water; or by passengers who were infected while ashore.”
Norovirus can also persist on surfaces for days or weeks and is resistant to many common disinfectants, officials say.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.