Shape CDC Forms for Probing Cruise Ship Health Outbreaks
Published Date: 6/11/2025
Notice
Summary
The CDC is asking for your thoughts on a new form to help investigate cruise ship outbreaks. They want to make sure the form is useful, clear, and not too much work for people to fill out. You’ve got 30 days to share your ideas before the government decides, so don’t miss your chance to weigh in!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Passengers and Crew Face Short Survey Burden
If a cruise ship has an acute gastrointestinal outbreak, CDC may collect information from crew and passengers. The agency estimates 10 investigations per year, 13,000 respondents annually, and an average 15 minutes per respondent (total estimated annual burden 4,063 hours). Respondents may be asked to complete self-administered questionnaires, take part in interviews, or provide biospecimens.
Which Ships Are Covered by Investigations
CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program has jurisdiction over passenger vessels carrying 13 or more people that sail from foreign ports and are within 15 days of arriving at a U.S. port. People on those ships may be subject to the outbreak data collection and response activities described in this notice.
When an Outbreak Triggers a Special Report
CDC's surveillance uses MIDRS and requires a special report when at least 2% of passengers or crew have acute gastrointestinal illness; CDC considers an outbreak to be 3% or more of reportable AGE cases in either population. Reaching these thresholds can prompt rapid public health assistance and data collection.
Rapid Deployment and Possible Onboard Boarding
When the outbreak threshold is met, CDC may deploy a response team to meet the ship in port within 24 hours and, in some cases, board the ship before U.S. arrival and sail back to the U.S. for a detailed evaluation. Data collection for these emergency investigations is expected to be completed in 30 days or less and most investigations involve two to five days of data collection.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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