The Portland Public Health Division is proposing a new communications policy that aims to raise awareness when cruise ships experiencing infectious disease outbreaks are docking, and to do public education in the Old Port.

The measure, presented to the City Council’s health and human services and public safety committee Tuesday evening, does not need council approval, but the health division is seeking input from committee members.

“The goal of this new protocol is to outline the Portland Public Health Division’s plans in the event there’s an outbreak,” said Bridget Rauscher, the division’s director, in an interview Tuesday. “We want folks to have access to science-based information, but also we want to provide notifications that prevent unnecessary panic.”

The division plans to use its website, the city’s social media channels, and the nonprofit Portland Downtown to notify the public of outbreaks on arriving cruise ships, Rauscher said.

Cruise ships, with their crowded conditions, are at risk for outbreaks, commonly norovirus or similar gastrointestinal viruses.

A cruise ship that departed Argentina in April experienced a hantavirus outbreak that led to three deaths and other passengers testing positive for the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and news reports. Hantavirus is typically contracted from human exposure to rodent feces, urine or saliva. It is not as contagious as diseases like norovirus, but can spread among people living in close quarters.

In October, Portland notified the public that the arriving cruise ship Oceania Insignia was experiencing a norovirus outbreak. At the time, the U.S. CDC had reported that 74 of the ship’s 637 passengers — or 11.6% — had fallen ill with the norovirus. The CDC considers it an outbreak when over 3% of passengers become sick.

Between May 22 and early November, over 80 dockings are scheduled in Portland, according to CruiseMaine.org, which tracks the bookings and collaborates with several state agencies.

The public health campaign will include “increased outreach to the downtown business community prior to and throughout the tourist season,” according to a memo from Rauscher to the committee.

Rauscher said Tuesday that city health officials will remind local businesses of the best ways to prevent sickness, such as frequent handwashing, cleaning surfaces, workers staying home when sick and good ventilation.

“When it’s nice out, maybe prop the front door open and open windows,” Rauscher said.

JoAnn Locktov, co-founder of the grassroots group Portland Cruise Control, which advocates for more restrictions on cruise ships docking in Portland, said the city should also consider prohibiting passengers from disembarking from cruise ships when there’s a major outbreak.

Locktov said having a communications policy is an important first step, and she’s glad the city is considering it, although she would like to see stronger measures, such as alerts going out on mobile phones.

“We should have a ‘local residents-first’ philosophy,” said Locktov, of Portland. “It’s profoundly important for people living and working here that when a ship docks, the correct information is put out and people can decide what to do, because there’s a risk of people getting sick and having to miss work for three days.”

During Tuesday’s committee discussion, councilors supported providing more information about potential outbreaks, but some agreed with city staff that the alerts should strike a balance, notifying people of outbreaks without causing unnecessary concern.