Cruise Passengers Stricken by Stomach Virus

More than 200 passengers aboard a Caribbean cruise were affected by a gastrointestinal illness, according to ABC News.

Royal Caribbean International confirmed that 220 guests on board the Independence of the Seas, which has been sailing a five-night itinerary in the Caribbean and was scheduled to return to Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday morning were affected by the outbreak.

"Independence of the Seas is currently on a five-night Caribbean cruise, which departed Port Everglades, Florida on December 11," wrote Royal Caribbean in a statement to ABC News on Friday. "Over the week, 220 cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported—representing 4.86 percent of the 5,547 guests and crew onboard."

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The cruise line also told ABC that affected passengers were treated by ship’s doctors with over-the-counter medications.

“[We] hope all our guests feel better quickly,” read the statement.

The cruise line also said it is undertaking “intensive sanitary procedures” and “special additional cleaning procedures” before it’s next departure.

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The outbreak is the second-such incident for Royal Caribbean in less than a month. In early December, nearly 200 passengers were treated for gastrointestinal issues onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, during a two-week sailing from Singapore to Sydney.

During that breakout, a representative from the Tasmanian Health Service told ABC that "it's not unusual for gastroenteritis outbreaks to occur aboard cruise ships, just as it is within the normal population."

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