Cruise Ship Illness Outbreaks

Idaho Raw Milk Outbreak: Nearly 60 Sickened

It’s quite concerning to hear that nearly 60 individuals in Idaho have fallen ill over the past two weeks, and the common thread appears to be the consumption of raw milk. Officials are currently investigating the situation, trying to pinpoint the exact source and how these outbreaks are occurring.

The question of “how” these people got sick seems, to many, to be rather straightforward. When you consume milk that hasn’t undergone pasteurization, you’re essentially bypassing a crucial step designed to eliminate harmful bacteria and pathogens. This process, which has been understood for well over a century, is specifically in place to make milk safer for consumption.… Continue reading

CDC Halts Cruise Ship Inspections Amidst Funding Cuts

Budget cuts enacted by the Trump administration have severely hampered the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), eliminating its capacity to monitor and control illness outbreaks on cruise ships. This comes amidst a surge in gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly norovirus outbreaks, exceeding previous years’ totals. Staff reductions within the CDC’s Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice have directly impacted the VSP’s ability to conduct health inspections and respond to outbreaks. The resulting loss of VSP oversight is causing significant concern given the increasing number of passengers becoming ill on cruise ships.

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