According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200 people on two cruise ships fell ill because of gastrointestinal sickness. The public health institute also said that both vessels were planned to be disinfected in San Diego.

The CDC said that on the Celebrity Infinity, the first ship, 106 out of 2,117 guests and six out of 964 crew members got infected with the highly contagious norovirus that can lead to symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

The CDC also said that on Monday that the Celebrity Cruises vessel went back to San Diego, where it will be cleaned and disinfected properly. It said that passengers would leave the ship in stages so as to prevent contact with those who are infected.

According to Cynthia Martinez from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the corporate owner of Celebrity Cruises, "At Celebrity Cruises we have high health standards for all our guests and crew. During the sailing, we took a number of steps to prevent the transmission of the illness, including implementing enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols".

Martinez added that they used special cleaning products and disinfectants, which are effective in killing norovirus, to clean the ship. On March 29, the vessel departed San Diego for a two-week cruise. The most common reason behind acute gastroenteritis in the United States is norovirus. According to health officials, it affects up to 12 million people each year, which leads to hospitalizations of up to 71,000 people and approximately 800 deaths.

According to the CDC, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd's Legend of the Seas was sent to port in San Diego with 114 of 1,763 passengers, who experienced symptoms like vomiting and the Celebrity Infinity is undergoing disinfection process.