During a three-day cruise, several people developed vomiting and diarrhoea. The ship's medical officer found that the first ill passenger had used the buffe...
Question 1 Report
During a three-day cruise, several people developed vomiting and diarrhoea. The ship's medical officer found that the first ill passenger had used the buffet serving utensils shortly before other passengers ate food. The disease was caused by norovirus.
(a) Describe two ways norovirus could spread from the first passenger to other people on the ship. [2]
(b) Explain why isolating passengers with symptoms and disinfecting shared surfaces can reduce the outbreak. [2]
Answer Details
(a) Norovirus could be transferred from the first passenger's contaminated hands to buffet utensils or food, then enter other people when they eat the contaminated food [1]. It could also pass from contaminated surfaces to hands and then to the mouth [1]. Virus-containing droplets from vomit are another possible route.
(b) Isolating symptomatic passengers reduces contact between infected and uninfected people [1]. Disinfecting shared surfaces kills or removes virus, making it less likely to be transferred to another person's hands and mouth [1].
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