CDC Reports Gastrointestinal Outbreak on Oceania Insignia

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported two gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships operating in April, involving Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Insignia and Costa Cruises’ Costa Toscana.

Oceania Insignia case counts and voyage details

The CDC posted an outbreak notice for Oceania Insignia after 19 of 633 passengers (3.0%) and three of 394 crew members (0.8%) reported symptoms on a 10-night sailing that began in Panama City, Panama, on April 4 and ended in Miami on April 14, 2026. Diarrhea was listed as the predominant symptom, and the CDC currently lists the causative agent as unknown.

The CDC’s posted outbreak dates for the voyage are April 7–14. The itinerary included scheduled calls in destinations such as Colombia, Curaçao, Aruba, and Jamaica, among others, before arriving in Miami.

Response steps reported to the CDC

In its outbreak posting, the CDC said Oceania implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection procedures and isolated ill passengers and crew members. The CDC notes that outbreak updates can be revised as additional information becomes available; for this incident, the listing continued to show the cause as unknown.

Oceania Insignia arrived in Miami on April 14, and the line implemented enhanced sanitation measures as part of its response before the ship continued operations.

Costa Toscana issues onboard advisory during Western Mediterranean sailing

A separate gastrointestinal illness situation was reported aboard Costa Toscana during a seven-night Western Mediterranean voyage that departed Civitavecchia (Rome) on April 9. Costa passengers received a letter from Captain Giulio Mistrangelo dated April 15 while the vessel was docked in Naples, described as its final port before returning to Civitavecchia.

In the advisory, passengers were instructed to follow strict hygiene practices, including frequent handwashing, using their cabins’ private bathrooms, and minimizing direct contact. Potential risk factors cited included drinking water from uncontrolled sources ashore. Costa Toscana also implemented additional sanitation protocols onboard to help limit further transmission.

The ship’s Mediterranean itinerary includes multi-port passenger transfer operations, meaning new travelers boarding during the coming days may also need to be informed of the situation. Ports mentioned in connection with transfers include Civitavecchia, Genoa, Marseille, and Barcelona.

How CDC illness reporting works under the Vessel Sanitation Program

Under the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), cruise lines must report gastrointestinal illness when at least 2% of passengers or crew members are sick and the ship is within 15 days of arriving at a U.S. port. The CDC typically posts an outbreak publicly when 3% or more of passengers or crew report symptoms, which is the threshold met by passenger illness levels on the Oceania Insignia voyage.

Outbreaks in context

The CDC has logged three gastrointestinal illness outbreaks meeting its public-notification threshold so far in 2026. In 2025, the CDC recorded 23 cruise ship outbreaks that met the public-reporting criteria, with most attributed to norovirus.

Cruise ships represent only 1% of all norovirus outbreaks nationwide, but cases at sea can draw heightened attention because close-contact environments can speed transmission. Sarah R. Michaels, an assistant professor at Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, previously told USA TODAY: “Really, when we have these areas where people are in really close contact, things like day care facilities, nursing homes and cruise ships, it’s more likely (to be) diagnosed, reported and brought to our attention.”

Requests for comment

Oceania Cruises did not immediately provide a comment in response to questions about the outbreak, and the CDC also had not responded to a request for comment as of the latest updates referenced in available coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many people were reported sick on Oceania Insignia?

The CDC reported 19 of 633 passengers and three of 394 crew members as ill on the April 4–14 sailing, with diarrhea listed as the predominant symptom.

Was norovirus confirmed on the Oceania Insignia sailing?

No. The CDC’s outbreak listing for this event identifies the causative agent as unknown.

Why did the CDC post the Oceania Insignia outbreak publicly?

The CDC typically posts an outbreak when 3% or more of passengers or crew report symptoms. On this sailing, the passenger illness rate was listed at 3.0%.

What guidance did passengers receive aboard Costa Toscana?

Passengers were instructed to follow strict hygiene practices, including frequent handwashing, using their cabins’ private bathrooms, and minimizing direct contact. The advisory also cited potential risks such as drinking water from uncontrolled sources ashore, and additional sanitation protocols were implemented onboard.

Could new passengers joining Costa Toscana during the cruise be affected?

Because Costa Toscana conducts multi-port passenger transfer operations during its Mediterranean season, new travelers boarding during the coming days may also need to be informed of the onboard illness situation. Ports mentioned in connection with transfers include Civitavecchia, Genoa, Marseille, and Barcelona.