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Norovirus sickens over 200 cruise ship passengers on month-long voyage

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Norovirus sickens over 200 cruise ship passengers on month-long voyage

More than 200 cruise ship passengers were infected with norovirus on a transatlantic voyage that is currently still at sea.

The illnesses occurred on the Cunard cruise line ship Queen Mary 2, which departed Southampton in the U.K. on March 8.

The ship traveled to New York and to several islands in the Eastern Caribbean, according to Cunard’s website.

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Out of the total 2,538 passengers, 224 became ill with the virus. Seventeen crew members were also affected, as stated in an alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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More than 200 cruise ship passengers were infected with norovirus on a transatlantic voyage that is currently still at sea. (iStock)

Diarrhea and vomiting were the primary symptoms reported. All sick passengers have been isolated, the announcement noted.

The ship is expected to return to Southampton on Sunday, April 6.

Cunard has increased its cleaning and disinfection procedures in response to the outbreak, according to the CDC.

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The cruise line has also collected stool specimens from sick passengers for testing. 

“VSP (Vessel Sanitation Program) is remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures,” the CDC stated.

Norovirus spread and symptoms

Norovirus, also known as food poisoning or the stomach bug, is a highly contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines, per the CDC.

“Norovirus, also known as Norwalk-like virus, is a leading cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S.,” Dr. Amber Charoen, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Gastro Health in Kennewick, Washington, previously told Fox News Digital.

“The combination of indoor spaces, close contact and crowding is why norovirus thrives in environments like schools, day cares and cruise ships,” one expert said. (iStock)

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“It can spread with as few as 10 particles through contaminated food, vomit, stool and even person-to-person contact.”

The highly contagious virus can also spread via contaminated surfaces, utensils or foods.

“The combination of indoor spaces, close contact and crowding is why norovirus thrives in environments like schools, day cares and cruise ships,” Chad D. Neilsen, MPH, director of Infection Prevention and Control at Nemours Children’s Health in Florida, previously told Fox News Digital.

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“Once an outbreak starts, it’s challenging to control it without public health and sanitation expertise.”

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While it is often referred to as a “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” norovirus is not related to influenza.

      

“Symptoms of norovirus vary, but those infected tend to have a mix of low-grade fever, chills, vomiting, headache, muscle aches and fatigue,” Baum said. 

“In addition, norovirus outbreaks typically produce nausea (more often in children), watery diarrhea (more often in adults) and stomach cramps.”

While it is often referred to as a “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” norovirus is not related to influenza. (iStock)

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There is no specific medicine to treat norovirus, according to Baum. 

Nielsen previously shared with Fox News Digital that norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses in the U.S., causing about 20 million cases each year.

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Norovirus is responsible for about 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths each year in the U.S., mostly affecting adults over 65 years old, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

About one in 15 Americans will get norovirus annually, and one out of 160 children will be hospitalized.

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Prevention and treatment

The best defense against norovirus is to wash hands frequently, identify symptoms early and isolate if sick, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst.

The CDC also recommends washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and washing laundry in hot water, if possible.

The best defense against norovirus is to wash hands frequently, identify symptoms early and isolate if sick, a doctor advised. (iStock)

“There is no treatment except to stay well-hydrated,” he told Fox News Digital. “[It] generally lasts around three days.”

Neilsen agreed that most people will recover from norovirus in one to three days without any treatment, but others could experience more severe symptoms like dehydration, which “could require medical attention.”

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The CDC recommends drinking plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration and to seek medical care if it becomes severe.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cunard requesting additional comment.

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

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Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

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“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

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Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

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Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

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“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

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Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

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“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















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