Uncategorized

Published on: July 10, 2026

Another Cruise Ship Outbreak, Over 100 People Infected. What to Know.

A cruise ship that reported over 100 people infected with norovirus on a previous voyage docked in Alaska with a second. consecutive outbreak of the illness.

The ship docked in Haines, Alaska, on Monday, July 6, reporting six crew members and one passenger with symptoms, according to reporting from The New York Post. These individuals were placed in isolation. The ship had just come from San Francisco, California, where 125 people were allegedly infected with the highly contagious gastrointestinal illness. Those affected included 102 passengers and 23 crew.

The news of the first norovirus outbreak came about over the July Fourth weekend, following the recent news that World Health Organization officials had declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship as officially “over.”

Published on: July 7, 2026

World Health Organization: Hantavirus Outbreak is Over. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The World Health Organization has declared that the hantavirus outbreak, which captured global attention in early April and resulted in the deaths of at least three people, as officially over.

The news comes after WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the last person exposed to the hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship had finished their quarantine period, according to reporting from the BBC. That person, whose name and other identifiers were not published, tested negative and was able to go home.

Since May 25, no additional cases of the hantavirus were reported.

Published on: June 18, 2026

Back-to-Back Cruise Passenger Brawls Break Out at Tropical Resorts. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two separate fights broke out recently in Nassau, Bahamas, resulting in at least five cruise passenger arrests, according to Cruise News Today.

The first incident occurred at Royal Caribbean’s Paradise Island Beach Club with children and families nearby. More than a dozen guests were seen in videos online tussling by the edge of a pool. Multiple security guards can be seen in the video trying to break up the fight.

Additional information, including what started the altercation, whether anyone was injured, or whether there will be any arrests, was not immediately available on Tuesday, June 16.

Published on: May 22, 2026

Hantavirus MV Hondius Cruise Ship Updates. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

There are at least 10 probable and confirmed cases of hantavirus related to those who were aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship with at least two deaths, according to national media.

The incident, which has garnered global attention, began on May 2, when the World Health Organization was notified of severe respiratory illnesses among passengers and crew aboard the ship. Among the dead are an elderly couple from the Netherlands. As of Thursday, May 14, the status of at least one other person who was infected has yet to be confirmed.

This week, at least 16 American passengers who were aboard the ship were transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Approximately 15 of them are being monitored in a quarantine unit. One other had initially tested positive and was in a separate unit until that person tested negative. Once their test came back, they were medically cleared to go to the quarantine unit. Two other American passengers were taken to Atlanta for further assessment, according to ABC News.

Published on: May 22, 2026

Cruise Passenger Dies After Fall From Pier on Mobility Scooter. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

An elderly woman has died after she allegedly lost control of a mobility scooter while on a cruise ship pier in the Bahamas and fell off the edge, according to national media.

The woman, 88, who has not yet been named by authorities fell into the water just before noon on Saturday, May 9, while the ship was docked. Crew members got her out of the water, according to a statement obtained by the New York Post, and attempted to resuscitate her. Tragically, she died.

The woman is believed to have hit her head on the hull of the ship as she fell into the water, reporters with The New York Post said.

Published on: May 11, 2026

Three Dead, Others Infected Following Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus has resulted in the deaths of three people aboard a cruise ship, leaving at least two others seriously ill this week, according to national media.

Two of the three people who died as a result of the suspected outbreak have been identified as an elderly married couple from the Netherlands. The 70-year-old husband died on the ship and his body was removed in the British territory of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, according to the Associated Press. His wife is said to have collapsed while at a South African airport with a planned flight to return home. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died. The body of the third patient who died was still aboard the ship and no names of any of the three victims was reported as of Monday, April 4, according to media.

At least one of the three patients was in intensive care at a hospital in South Africa, World Health Organization officials told AP reporters. As of Monday, April 4, only one case has been confirmed. An investigation is ongoing.

Published on: April 21, 2026

Prosecutors: Teen Charged in Case of Murdered Stepsister Aboard Cruise Ship Will Be Tried as an Adult

By Leesfield & Partners

The stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, a Florida teen found murdered on a cruise ship, has been indicted on criminal charges of murder and sexual abuse, according to national media.

The 16-year-old stepbrother, who has only been identified as T.H., will be tried as an adult for the November 2025 death of his stepsister. He has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

The announcement came on April 10 after a federal grand jury returned an indictment based on evidence presented by prosecutors. As of Wednesday, April 15, T.H was not in custody and is staying with an uncle and accompanying his father to work, according to reporting from PEOPLE. Prosecutors are now allegedly asking the court to revoke his release and hold him in pretrial detention, the news outlet reported.

Published on: March 24, 2026

Nearly 200 People Affected in Norovirus Outbreak. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

About 141 guests and 52 members of the crew aboard a cruise ship reported being ill during a voyage earlier this month, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The outbreak was reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the agency announced. The symptoms that were reported predominantly included diarrhea and vomiting as the result of norovirus.

As a response to the outbreak, the cruise line said it was increasing disinfecting and cleaning efforts aboard the vessel. Those who reported feeling ill were quarantined to prevent any spread and specimens were collected. VSP officials conducted assessments and outbreak investigations to mitigate further spread.

Published on: February 26, 2026

How This Vessel Fared Following Latest Winter Storms. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The waterslides and pool deck of this cruise ship — originally meant to be enjoyed with the backdrop of sparkling, tropical waters — looked a little different covered in New Jersey snow.

Stuck in port overnight in the Garden State due to Winter Storm Hernando, the vessel was blanketed in snow. While the ship was meant to be carrying its thousands of passengers to the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas, guests instead peered out their windows to find pool decks and lounge chairs coated in snow and framed by an unexpected, icy landscape. Photos of the peculiar sight can be seen posted on the cruise line’s blog page.

The weather delay has also set back arrivals in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as well as later arrivals at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, the blog reported. If the weather does not improve, then further changes to scheduled voyages may be possible.

Published on: February 18, 2026

Charges Unclear as Stepbrother Appears in Federal Court Following Girl’s Cruise Ship Death.

By Leesfield & Partners

The stepbrother of Ana Kepner, the 18-year-old girl whose body was found wrapped in blankets under a bed on a cruise ship, recently appeared in Federal Court in Miami, according to media.

The hearing related to the Titusville, Florida, teen’s death in November, and any related documents, will be sealed as the stepbrother in this case is a minor, according to reporting from national media outlets. The 16-year-old boy has yet to be named publicly in this case. That will only change if the teen is tried as an adult.

He was represented by a public defender and appeared before Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres and was later processed for pretrial release, NBC 6 South Florida reported. It is unclear what the teen was charged with related to Kepner’s death.